Three bids have been submitted for General Motors Corp.'s (GM) German unit Adam Opel AG and it's now up to GM to decide which investor it favors before the government can assess any offer, German economics ministry spokesman Steffen Moritz told reporters Friday.

Speaking at the same press conference, government spokesman Thomas Steg said that the government's hasn't yet decided on a frontrunner, adding that he isn't aware whether a Chinese investor has also submitted a bid to GM, as a media report had suggested.

He also said he explicitly wanted to "leave it open" whether a meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and key ministers as well as the heads of four German states, which have Opel plants, later this afternoon will generate a preliminary decision about any of the bids.

So far, there is no frontrunner as far as the government is concerned, he said.

Steg said the government doesn't believe it is appropriate, given the situation, to commit themselves in advance of a decision.

"That's why I can only tell you we are in a process and (that) it's impossible to already give a ranking within the federal government, because those politically responsible will look into this issue extensively only from this afternoon," Steg said.

The head of the Hesse state government, Roland Koch, said earlier Friday he favors the plan presented by Magna International Inc. (MGA) for GM's Opel.

The government and the states of Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia and Rhineland Palatinate, which are home to Opel plants, are mulling bridge financing for Opel if GM files for insolvency.

Italian automaker Fiat SpA (F.MI) has submitted a formal offer for Opel and Vauxhall. It plans to integrate GM's European, Latin American and South African operations into a global alliance with its own auto unit and Chrysler LLC.

Austrian-Canadian auto parts supplier Magna International Inc. (MGA), jointly with Russian car manufacturer Gaz Russia (GAZA.RS), have submitted a bid.

RHJ International (RHJI.BT), a European buyout firm of investor U.S. Ripplewood with holdings in the auto-parts industry, is also bidding for Opel.

According to a person familiar with the situation and who declined to be named, Fiat has submitted a non-cash offer and wants a state guarantee of around EUR7 billion and plans job cuts at four Opel plants in Germany.

Magna, jointly with Russian car manufacturer Gaz Russia (GAZA.RS), wants to get over 50% in Opel, plans to cut around 10,000 jobs in Europe and eyes up to EUR5 billion in state guarantee, the person said.

Ripplewood also wants over 50% in Opel and wants less than EUR5 billion in state guarantees. It aims to keep the company independent, possible in a cooperation with Magna, and eyes thousands of job cuts, the person said.

Web site: www.bmwi.de; www.bundesregierung.de

-By Andrea Thomas, Dow Jones Newswires; +49-30-288-8410; andrea.thomas@dowjones.com