(Reuters) - Facebook Inc plans to open a sales office in China to work with local advertisers, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The world's largest social networking company is in talks to lease space in the Fortune Financial Center in Beijing's central business district, Bloomberg said, citing the sources.

Facebook could open an office in China within a year, a person familiar with the matter said. (r.reuters.com/vag39v)

Facebook could not be immediately reached for comment outside of U.S. business hours.

The sales office would put, for the first time, Facebook employees inside mainland China, where its services are blocked. Facebook has a sales office in Hong Kong.

(Reporting by Mridhula Raghavan in Bangalore; Editing by Richard Chang)