BEIJING, Dec 3 (Reuters) – Dan Katz, the International Monetary Fund’s No.2 official, is on his first visit to China since leaving his role as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s chief of staff, as the fund’s annual review of the Chinese economy looms.
Katz, who became IMF deputy managing director in October, met with People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng on Monday, the central bank said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the two men discussed the Chinese and global economies.
His appointment put a key Trump administration insider into an influential role at the IMF, which conducts annual audits of member economies to gauge their health and flag potential financial risks.
The most recent “Article IV” review of China’s economic policies was published in August 2024, leaving Beijing overdue for a visit from IMF officials to go over the books. Chinese and U.S. negotiators are working on a trade deal which analysts say could influence Chinese economic growth for years to come.
China’s foreign ministry declined to comment on whether it was appropriate for Katz to audit its economy given his previous role in the Trump administration. The IMF did not respond to a request for comment.
China’s export-oriented economy has struggled to gain momentum since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, with economists estimating his tariffs have reduced the world’s second-largest economy’s export growth by about 2 percentage points or roughly 0.3% of gross domestic product.
(Reporting by Joe Cash; Editing by Tom Hogue and Thomas Derpinghaus)
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