New Ministers Appointed

China's top legislature appointed two ministers Wednesday. Li Rongrong became minister in charge of the State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC), replacing Sheng Huaren; Xu Guanhua became minister of Science and Technology, replacing Zhu Lilan.

The appointments were made at the 20th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The standing committee also appointed Zhu Lilan as a vice-chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee under the 9th NPC, and Ye Rutang, a vice-chairman of the Environment and Resources Protection Committee of the 9th NPC.

Li Rongrong, a native of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, was born in 1944. He is a senior engineer. He once studied in the chemistry engineering department of Tianjin University. He was promoted from the post of vice minister of the SETC. He had also served as vice minister of the State Development Planning Commission.

Xu Guanhua, born in 1941 in Shanghai, is an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He was promoted from the post of vice minister of Science and Technology.

Ye Rutang, born in 1940, was vice-minister of Construction.

(Xinhua 02/28/2001)