Newly-appointed French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade Christine Lagarde is expected to visit China on July 4-5, the finance ministry said in a statement on June 29.

Lagarde will fly to Beijing to inaugurate a French exhibition on housing and interior decoration, said the statement, adding that she will also meet with senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Wu Yi.

The exhibition, organized by a French agency for international development and co-sponsored by the Chinese commerce ministry, will be held on July 5-9. More than 100 French exhibitors will participate in the event.

The minister delegate had planned several trips to China this year, aimed at promoting the commercial activities of small and medium-sized companies.

France, China's second largest trade partner in the European Union (EU), hopes to further benefit from China's rapid economic growth.

Lagarde was named as the foreign trade chief after a government reshuffle in the wake of France's rejection to the EU constitution last month.

Source: Xinhua