UK hires Bank of China, HSBC, Standard Chartered for renminbi bond

LONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Britain's finance ministry said ithad appointed Bank of China, HSBC and Standard Chartered to helporganize the first sale of British government debt denominatedin China's renminbi currency.

Britain is hoping to be first Western government to issue anoffshore renminbi bond as it deepens its financial links withthe world's No.2 economy.

The finance ministry said on Thursday the bond would be astand-alone issuance and of benchmark size. It would be issuedin "due course," the ministry said. (Writing by William Schomberg; editing by Andy Bruce)