Yu Youjun [File photo]

Yu Youjun, who was a ministerial-level official until his Communist Party of China (CPC) membership was subjected to a two-year probationary period in 2008, has been appointed deputy director of the State Council's office in charge of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, according to an announcement on the organization's website on Saturday.

Yu, 58, served as vice-governor of Central China's Hunan province from 2003 to 2005 before he became governor of North China's Shanxi province in 2006.

He ended his tenure as Shanxi governor abruptly in August 2007 following a slave-labor scandal involving illegal brick kilns and mines.

In September 2007, Yu took up the post of vice-minister of the Ministry of Culture.

And in October 2007, Yu was elected as a member of the 17th CPC Central Committee.

However, in 2008, he was stripped of his membership of the committee. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee also decided to subject Yu's Party membership to a two-year probationary period, without disclosing the exact reason.