RPT-China silent on c. bank chief's sudden U.S. trip

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BEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People's Bank of China, flew to the United States on Thursday for an unscheduled meeting, a central bank official said.

Jin Qi, head of the PBOC's international department, told a briefing for reporters that Zhou had left after the opening session of the cabinet-level Sino-American "Strategic Economic Dialogue."

She gave no details of Zhou's planned meetings in the United States.

Zhou earlier told the dialogue he was confident China could sustain growth and financial stability, but said there was a need to prepare for the worst-case scenario by taking "timely, effective and pre-emptive measures." (Reporting by Langi Chiang; Writing by Alan Wheatley; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)