Thank you for the links. I was unaware that the PRC’s Treasury holdings had been pared back so much.

I do think it’s interesting to note that both of the examples you used are the only two countries that the US military wouldn’t like to try its hand against. And there is a broader point there: my original point becomes less relevant the further that global US hegemony slips.

Exactly. And this is not due to the fact that they are the global powers of enough strength to be a big opponent. /S