China's portfolio investment assets in the United States stood at $291 billion by the end of June, taking up almost a quarter of the country's total external portfolio investment assets, official data showed on Friday.

The State Administration of Foreign Exchange said on Friday that China's external portfolio investment assets (excluding reserve assets) amounted to $1.2353 trillion by the end of June, including $730.3 billion in equity investments and $505 billion in bond investments.

The top five recipients were the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the United States, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom, with the amounts being $499.8 billion, $291 billion, $91.5 billion, $78.5 billion and $36.5 billion respectively, SAFE said.

By the end of June, non-bank financial institutions, banks and the non-financial sector were the main sectors holding external portfolio investment assets, accounting for 57 percent, 30 percent and 12 percent of China's total external portfolio investment assets, the administration said.