I disagree.
The Chinese government buys Ts because it sells the US goods and gets USDs in return. They want to earn a low risk return with the majority of the money it receives as payment. Besides, owning Ts is the equivalent of a savings account at the Fed. The Fed has a lot more negotiating power than the article acknowledges.
Furthermore, I believe that QE is unnecessary. On a daily basis, the Fed manipulates the overnight rate via open market operations. The Fed is a market manipulator via direct market manipulation and psychological manipulation. That is its purpose. That is what it does.
Instead of QE, why not just set a target rate for the entire curve? Traders would know that it would be a game of Whack-a-Mole above the target rate.
Many people will probably disagree with the following:
T yields are the most important benchmark rate in the world. Other than countries that are irrelevant, all rates are are directly or indirectly tied to Ts. Blowing up Ts is economic suicide by any country that would attempt it.