Chinese President Hu Jintao has formally appointed five new ambassadors to foreign countries, according to a statement from the Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on Tuesday.

Hu made the appointments in line with decisions made by the NPC Standing Committee.

Liu Hongcai, former deputy head of International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, was appointed ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to replace Liu Xiaoming.

Liu Xiaoming replaced Fu Ying as Chinese ambassador to Britain while Fu assumed the position of Chinese vice foreign minister.

Cheng Yonghua, former ambassador to the Republic of Korea, was appointed ambassador to Japan to replace Cui Tiankai, who took up the post of Chinese vice foreign minister.

He Yafei, former vice foreign minister, was appointed Chinese ambassador to the UN Office in Geneva to replace Li Baodong, who is now Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations.

Li is the successor of Zhang Yesui, who has no official appointment yet.