People visit a market at the tourism site of Qianmen street in Beijing, China, on March 14, 2023. (Representational Photo, Credit: Tingshu Wang/Reuters)
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Firstpost16-01-2026, 17:42

China's $1.2 Trillion Surplus: A Silent Threat to Global Economic Stability?

  • China's record $1.2 trillion trade surplus is now fueling large-scale private overseas investments, shifting from state reserves.
  • Nearly two-thirds of last year's foreign assets were absorbed by companies, individuals, and state-linked lenders, not the central bank.
  • Chinese non-official sector investors increased overseas asset holdings by over $1 trillion in the first three quarters of last year, doubling the decade's average.
  • This led to a $535 billion surge in Chinese private investment in overseas securities, including US equities and European bonds.
  • The shift marks a departure from China's centralized capital management, increasing global financial system's dependence on Chinese liquidity and posing risks of abrupt capital reversals.

Why It Matters: China's private capital outflow, driven by its massive trade surplus, poses new risks to global financial stability.

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