HONG KONG -- The Western-led freeze on half of Russia's gold and foreign exchange reserves after its invasion of Ukraine came as a shock to Moscow -- and an unwelcome surprise to Beijing. The move underscored a brutal truth for China, the world's largest holder of foreign reserves: One day, its international assets could be a tempting target, too.

The Big Story
China scrambles for cover from West's financial weapons
Spooked by sanctions on Russia, Beijing looks to build on its own international payments system