FILE PHOTO: Herbert Diess, Volkswagen's new CEO, poses during the Volkswagen Group's annual general meeting in Berlin, Germany, May 3, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt/File Photo

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Volkswagen chief executive VOWG_p.DE Herbert Diess will take on responsibility for the carmaker's business in China, a source said as VW's supervisory board met in Wolfsburg on Friday.

Diess will take over the China role early next year from Jochem Heizmann, who will retire, the source told Reuters.

“The Chinese government expects that company leadership is routinely present in China,” the source added.

Volkswagen declined to comment on the news, which was first reported by German newspaper Handelsblatt.

VW is due to hold a news conference at 1130 GMT as its board votes on a multi-billion euro investment plan.