BEIJING: China announced on Friday that three ministers had been replaced in a cabinet reshuffle that also saw the appointment of a new foreign minister.

Wan Gang, president of Shanghai's Tongji University, is the new Science and Technology Minister, replacing Xu Guanhua, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

With the posting Wan, a member of the Zhi Gong Party, an opposition grouping under the guidance of the ruling Communist Party, became the only non-Communist Party minister in China's cabinet, it said.

Meanwhile, Xu Shaoshi replaced Sun Wensheng as Minister of Land and Resources, while Chen Lei was appointed Minister of Water Resources, taking over from Wang Shucheng, Xinhua said.

The announcement came shortly after Xinhua reported that Yang Jiechi had replaced Li Zhaoxing as foreign minister.--AFP