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I agree with everything you've said... except that an increase in yield is designed to exactly offset any decrease in value- hence the only function of yield change is to place in instrument at market return, not make it more attractive than before. Perhaps this is what you were saying, but I'm too much of an idiot to get it.

Well, you are correct that yield change offsets any decrease in value, but it does not add value to people already owning a bond. Only to people who would buy in after that date. But placing something at market return is basically the same as changing the yield, since that is how the market determines the proper return. But it will be more attractive to new investors:

Think of it this way. You are thinking of buying a government bond at $99 that will be worth $115 when you add up all the interest to be paid over the years and the face value. You think it's a sound good investment, but you don't want to pay that much. Then the Chinese government sells all their US Treasury Bonds, and the bond that was $99 is now $95 (more drastic a price change than would occur, but for the sake of argument...). What would have been a return of $16 turns into a return of $20. Suddenly you are more likely to buy that bond, because it is more attractive, assuming the financial soundness of the US government is still the same as before the Chi Coms sold. Now, the poor sap who was bought the bond at $99 is out $4, so he loses value.

Where it wouldn't be bid back up would be if it was bid down based on economic fundamentals (I.E., rising inflation) or on the financial soundness of the U.S. Government. However, with the US Treasury bonds, it is doubtful that it would be bid down on problems of financial soundness, since US Treasuries are considered de facto risk free investments.

Any change in price based on economic or fundamentals actually represents the correct net present value of the investment. Any change in price based on China dumping $81 billion in a single day represents a short-term shift in supply, which will be corrected.

I agree with everything you've said... except that an increase in yield is designed to exactly offset any decrease in value- hence the only function of yield change is to place in instrument at market return, not make it more attractive than before. Perhaps this is what you were saying, but I'm too much of an idiot to get it.

Actually, if the market rate remains the same the price must also remain the same. I believe that after the price drops as the Chinese sell, bidders will step up and the price will come back up/yield will go back down.

The danger that the chicken littles see is that the price never goes back up and the US has to pay higher rates to finance our deficit. I'm not gonna lose any sleep over this.