Zhou Wenzhong (LU MINGXIANG)	Long Yongtu (JIANG ENYU)

Zhou Wenzhong, China's former Ambassador to the United States, was selected as Secretary General of the Boao Forum for Asia. He will take over his post from Long Yongtu in July.

The forum amended its charter, which stipulates a secretary general should serve no more than two terms of eight years, at this year's annual session. Long has been in the position since January 2003.

Zhou, 65, completed his five-year tenure as Chinese Ambassador to the United States in March. He had also served as assistant minister and vice minister of foreign affairs and ambassador to Barbados and to Antigua and Barbuda and Australia.

Long, 67, was China's chief negotiator for the resumption of its legal status as a contracting party to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and for its accession to the World Trade Organization in 1997-2001. He is also a former vice minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation.

Established in 2001, the Boao Forum is the first international organization with its permanent venue in China. It is committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to development goals.