(Yicai Global) Aug. 16 -- China has reclaimed its position as the biggest foreign holder of US debt after increasing its holdings for five consecutive months.

Chinese holdings of US government bonds, notes and Treasury bills rose USD44.3 billion from a month ago to USD1.15 trillion in June, a report from the US Treasury Department said yesterday. Japan owned USD1.09 trillion, down USD20.5 billion from May. Japan had overtaken China as the biggest holder of US government bonds last October.

Together, the two Asian countries own more than a third of foreign-held US Treasuries, whose total value increased by USD47.7 billion from a month earlier to USD6.17 trillion in June.

China's foreign reserves rose for the sixth straight month in July to USD3.08 trillion on a strengthening yuan and robust economic growth.