Li to head office for CPC

The Communist Party of China Central Committee has appointed Li Zhanshu as the director of its General Office, replacing Ling Jihua.

Ling, who has held the post since 2007, has been appointed head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, replacing Du Qinglin.

Du, born in 1946, has reached 65, the standard retirement age for ministerial-level officials in China.

Before the latest nomination, Li was deputy director of the office.

He will oversee the day-to-day operations of the committee in his new post. Previous directors include Wen Jiabao, who is now premier, and former vice-president Zeng Qinghong.

Li, 62, has rich working experience in local governments. Before joining the office, Li served as Party chief of Southwest China's Guizhou province from August 2010 to July 2012. Before that, he had worked in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Northwest China's Shaanxi province and North China's Hebei province.

Ling, 56, who joins the United Front Work Department of the committee, is a native of Pinglu county in North China's Shanxi province. A major function of the department is to manage relations with the non-Communist Party groups and individuals.

The latest appointments come ahead of the 18th National Congress of the CPC, which is scheduled later this year. Such a national Party congress is held once every five years to elect the Party's highest leadership and set major policies.