WASHINGTON, Jumada II 06, 1437, March 15, 2016, SPA -- Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury securities rose in January to the highest level in a year even though the biggest foreign owner, China, cut back slightly, according to AP. The Treasury Department says total foreign holdings increased 0.7 percent to $6.18 trillion, the highest level since they were at $6.22 trillion in January 2015. China trimmed its holdings 0.7 percent to $1.24 trillion while Japan, the second largest foreign owner of Treasury debt, boosted its holdings 0.1 percent to $1.12 trillion. In addition to Japan's small increase, other countries increasing their holdings were Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Taiwan and India. The national debt now stands at a record $19.1 trillion. With the federal budget deficit projected to grow, the United States will need to see continued strong foreign demand for Treasury debt. --SPA 23:31 LOCAL TIME 20:31 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w