Zhang Chunxian (CNSPHOTO)	Wang Lequan (XINHUA)

Zhang Chunxian has been appointed as Party chief of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee announced. Wang Lequan, former Secretary of the CPC Xinjiang regional committee, has been appointed deputy secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee.

Before the move, Zhang, 57, had been secretary of the CPC Hunan provincial committee since December 2005. He had also served as minister of communications between 2002 and 2005. Zhang is known for his open-mindedness and eagerness to communicate with people via the Internet.

Wang, 65, had assumed several leading posts in Xinjiang since 1991. He was named Xinjiang's Party chief in December 1995.