French budget minister and government spokesman Francois Baroin said China supports finance minister Christine Lagarde as candidate to be the new head of the International Monetary Fund.

"It's a European consensus," he told France's Europe 1 radio. "The euro needs our attention, we need to have the

Europeans (on board), the Chinese support the candidacy of Christine Lagarde," he said.

However, he noted it was too early to say whether the French finance minister would be a candidate.

European governments have said they wish to retain their traditional control over the leadership of the multilateral lender at a time when it is heavily involved in major bailouts in Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

A number, including Britain and Italy, have already said they would back Ms Lagarde.

"It's a European consensus," France's budget minister and government spokesman Francois Baroin told Europe 1 radio, asked about Ms Lagarde as a possible contender for the job.

"The euro needs our attention, we need to have the Europeans (on board), the Chinese support the candidacy of Christine Lagarde," he said.

China's foreign ministry said it had no comment on whether Beijing would back Ms Lagarde, a 55-year-old former lawyer, to lead the International Monetary Fund.

Last week, the head of China's central bank, Zhou Xiaochuan, said the IMF's future leadership should reflect the growing stature of emerging economies, but he stopped short of saying its new boss should be from an emerging economy.

An advisor to the People's Bank of China, Xia Bin, said a bigger issue than the succession was the United States' dominant voting share at the IMF.

Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton said it was quite likely Ireland would back a Lagarde candidacy.

"Already you have the backing of New Zealand and a number of European member states for Christine Lagarde. I think it's quite possible that the US will row in behind her as well," she said.

The leadership race was triggered by Strauss-Kahn's resignation last week, after a New York hotel maid accused him of attempted rape.

A "gentleman's agreement" has always had a European lead the IMF and an American the World Bank, but fast-growing emerging nations are seeking a larger role in global organisations.

US undersecretary of state Robert Hormats told Reuters Insider TV that Washington is talking to several countries about the IMF succession. "There are a lot of very qualified candidates," he said.

Sources in Washington have said the United States would back a European. The United States and European nations jointly hold more than half of the IMF's votes, giving them enough power to decide who leads it.

The fund is currently being run by John Lipksy, who has said he wants to step down in August, and it has set a June 30th deadline to pick a permanent head.

Yesterday, Mexico sought support for its central bank governor, Agustin Carstens, but Brazil appeared reluctant to back him, saying more time was needed to make a choice. Brazilian government sources said some officials feel Carstens is a long-shot for the job.

Russia has said it would back Kazakhstan's central bank chief, Grigory Marchenko, and sources have said South African politician Trevor Manuel could also emerge as a candidate.

Reuters