President Hu Jintao on Sunday appointed Cui Tiankai new ambassador to Japan to replace Wang Yi, who is now vice foreign minister.

Cui, born in Zhejiang Province in October 1952, served as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs before the appointment.

Wang, born in Beijing in October 1953, had once been a counselor with ministerial rank of the Chinese Embassy in Japan. He served as assistant foreign minister from 1998 to 2001 and vice foreign minister from 2001 to 2004 before being appointed ambassador to Japan.

(Xinhua News Agency October 1, 2007)