A senior Party official said in Beijing Wednesday that Wan Gang and Chen Zhu, both non-communist experts, are qualified for their cabinet posts.

Ouyang Song, vice head of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Organization Department, said at a press briefing that to recruit non-communist experts for posts at the cabinet level is an important decision the CPC central leadership has made.

Wan, an auto technologist who had worked for Audi for a decade, was appointed earlier this year minister of science and technology. The world-recognized hematologist Chen Zhu was named health minister. Both are from the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body.

"Wan and Chen have both solid academic backgrounds, leadership capability and good working style," Ouyang said.

"Our Party will continue choosing more qualified experts from outside the CPC to work for the government with their expertise," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2007)