Chinese President Hu Jintao announced the appointments of 12 new ambassadors Monday in accordance with the decisions made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

The appointments are as follows:

• Liu Yongxing was appointed Chinese ambassador to Laos, replacing Liu Zhengxiu;
• Liu Zhengxiu was appointed ambassador to Malta, replacing Yang Guirong;
• Song Aiguo replaced Yao Kuangyi as ambassador to Turkey;
• Huang Yong'an replaced Chen Zhanfu as ambassador to Eritrea;
• Qiu Bohua was appointed ambassador to Lesotho, replacing Zhang Xianyi;
• Zhang Xianyi replaced Hou Qingru as ambassador to Zimbabwe;
• Ji Yanchi was appointed Chinese ambassador to Latvia, replacing Wang Kaiwen;
• Yuan Guisen was appointed ambassador to Poland, replacing Zhou Xiaopei;
• Xue Hanqin replaced Zhu Zushou as ambassador to Netherlands;
• Zhu Zushou replaced Zhao Xidi as ambassador to Hungary;
• Jiao Dongcun was appointed ambassador to Bahamas, replacing Wu Changsheng;
• Wang Guangya replaced Wang Yingfan as permanent representative and ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations.
   
  (Xinhua News Agency August 26, 2003)