Christine Lagarde Reportedly Proposes China Trip To Discuss IMF

France's Lagarde Reportedly Proposes China Trip To Discuss IMF Bid

BEIJING - French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has proposed visiting China in early June, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday, a visit during which she would discuss her candidacy to head the International Monetary Fund.

"Madame Lagarde has in recent days proposed a planned visit to China in early June," the ministry's spokesman Hong Lei said. "The People's Bank of China is the department in charge for this."

Hong had earlier said that officials from China's central bank would meet her, but the ministry later said he had mis-spoken and issued revised wording on its website (www.mfa.gov.cn).

"The selection of the IMF's managing director ... and others is crucial to the reform of international financial institutions," he said. "The selection of management should respect the principles of being merit-based and transparent."

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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