Total says Chinese state fund has bought stake

PARIS, April 3 (Reuters) - A state-owned Chinese investment fund has been buying shares in Total (TOTF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) in recent months, a spokeswoman for the French oil company said on Thursday.

"A public Chinese fund entered into our capital at the end of last year and has been progressively buying shares," the spokeswoman said.

She would not name the fund or say how much of Total's equity it held, but described the holding as "important".

Asked what Total thought about the investment, she said: "It is good news", adding state funds were investors for the long term and the investment would diversify the group's shareholder base.

Total's shareholders already include state-owned investment funds from Norway, Singapore and the Middle East, she said.

Total shares closed up 1 percent at 48.97 euros on Thursday. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by David Holmes)