China's external assets goes up to $4.13 trillion

Boosted by increased foreign exchange reserves and overseas investment, China's external financial assets expanded 19% from a year earlier to $4.126 trillion by the end of last year.

Figures on the nation's international investment position (IIP) released today by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) showed the external liabilities rose 20% year-on-year to $2.3354 trillion, while net external financial assets increased 19% to $1.7907 trillion.

About 71% of China's external financial assets were its $2.9142 trillion of foreign exchange reserves, said the SAFE, the nation's foreign exchange regulator.

Last month China reported that its foreign exchange reserves increased by $197.4 billion in the first three months of this year to $3.04 trillion by the end of March.

China's has about $310.8 billion of direct investment overseas of which $257.1 billion of securities portfolio investment while $643.9 billion of other unspecified investments made up the rest.

In terms of China's foreign financial liabilities, direct investment by other countries or regions in China totalled $1.4764 trillion, securities portfolio investment reached $221.6 billion and other unspecified investment stood at $637.3 billion.

China's foreign exchange regulator, the SAFE, also revised China's IIP for 2009 .

According to its statement, China increased its holding of gold to $48.1 billion in 2010, up from $37.1 billion in 2009.

Representing the difference between a country's domestically owned foreign assets and foreign owned domestic assets, IIP reflects the financial assets and liabilities of one country or region compared to other countries or region.