【古风按】从去年八月份以来，中国所持美债额度就开始稳步下降，到了岁末更是一次性地卖出了1千多亿元的美债（见上图）！同时，大家都知道中国一直是个国际贸易顺差国，每年都要积累巨额的外储，可是，为何到了2011年中后期，外储不见涨了呢？原来，猫腻就在黄金之中（见下图）：中国政府正在通过香港的渠道在国际黄金市场上大力收购黄金，为即将到来的美元体系崩溃和国际新的黄金货币挂钩体制做准备了。作为个人投资人，古风也一直在极力建议大家去投资黄金。如果您有真金白银，就把实货存到香港的银行里去。因为一旦现行的美元体系崩溃，美国政府就会重新干起罗斯福总统以前在大萧条时期干过的活：搜缴美国民间的金银，充实国库。大家不可不防啊。

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/chinese-gold-imports-hong-kong-rise-nearly-13-fold-%E2%80%93-pboc-likely-buying-dip-again

Chinese Gold Imports From Hong Kong Rise Nearly 13 Fold
by Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge, 11 April 2012

Chinese gold demand remains very strong as seen in the importation of 40 metric tonnes or nearly 40,000 kilos of gold bullion from Hong Kong alone in February.

Hong Kong's gold exports to China in February were nearly 13 times higher than the 3,115 kilograms in the same month last year, the data shows.

Shipments were 72,617 kilograms in the first two months, compared with 10,564 kilograms a year ago or nearly a seven fold increase from the record levels seen last year.

China's appetite for gold remains strong and Chinese demand alone is likely to put a floor under the gold market.

Mainland China bought 39,668 kilograms (39.668 metric tons), up from 32,948 kilograms in January, according to export data from the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong government.

Demand has picked up again after the Lunar New Year and demand has climbed in China as rising incomes and concerns about inflation lead to store of value buying.

There is also a concern about the Chinese stock market which has gone sideways since 2001 and increasing concerns that various property markets in China look like bubbles ready to burst.

Consumer demand for gold beat India for the first time in almost three years in the fourth quarter and China may replace India as the biggest buyer annually this year.

The massive gold purchases may signal the People’s Bank of China is continuing to secretly accumulate gold reserves.

Reuters report that there are suspicions that the number could include purchases from the public sector, as the market was largely quiet during a post-Lunar New Year holiday slump in February. "On the public level, China's central bank will continue to accumulate gold, which is easier than liberalising their capital account and currency," said Friesen of SocGen, adding that building gold reserves would help China's push to turn the renminbi into a global currency.

Accommodative monetary policy will remain an incentive for private investors to buy into gold, he added.

The nation last made its reserves known more than two years ago, stating them to be 1,054 tons.

The PBOC's gold reserves remain small compared to those of the Federal Reserve and many European nations. Their gold reserves remain tiny when compared to their massive foreign exchange reserves of $3.2 Trillion.

It is important to note that in past years, Hong Kong gold imports have accounted for about half of China's total gold imports. China itself doesn't publish gold import data and the very high and increasing demand from Hong Kong is only a component of overall Chinese demand.

The per capita consumption of 1.3 billion people continues to increase from a near zero base meaning that this is indeed a paradigm shift and not a blip or ‘flash in the pan’.

It means that gold will likely see record nominal highs - possibly before the end of the year.

Prudent western buyers wishing to protect and grow wealth will again buy gold on the dip as the Chinese are doing.