(Yicai Global) Feb. 3 -- Lin Jianhai, the first Chinese secretary to the International Monetary Fund and its board of governors, will retire in July this year.

Lin will step back from his responsibilities at the end of April in preparation for his retirement, the Washington city-based agency said in a statement yesterday.

Born in 1955 in Zhejiang province, Lin has been with the IMF for 31 years and rose to his current post in March 2012 after holding key positions in the fund's departments for the Asia-Pacific region, finance, and policy development and review. He has a PhD in international finance from George Washington University and studied at the China University of International Business and Economics and University of California, Berkeley, and worked in the financial sector and academia before joining the IMF.

As secretary, Lin is responsible for developing and maintaining relations with the fund's 189 member countries. He also plays an important role in organizing the IMF's Spring and Annual Meetings.

Editors: Tang Shihua, James Boynton