BEIJING -- The State Council, China's cabinet, on Tuesday announced a number of appointments and removals of government officials.

Li Zhao was appointed vice minister in charge of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

Gong Puguang was appointed vice minister of civil affairs, while Dai Junliang was removed from the post.

Wang Ning was appointed deputy head of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, while Guo Yunchong was removed from the post.

Yu Kangzhen was named vice minister of the agriculture. Gao Hongbin no longer holds the position.

Zhang Zhiyong becomes deputy director of the State Administration of Taxation, with Wang Li having been removed from the post.

Chen Gang and Wu Qinghai were appointed deputy directors of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine; Yang Gang, Pu Changcheng and Liu Pingjun were removed from such posts.

Wu Zhen was appointed deputy director of the State Food and Drug Administration.

Hu Keming was appointed deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council; An Jian no longer holds the post.

The State Council appointed Zhang Jiang and Li Peilin as vice presidents of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, removing Li Shenming, Gao Quanli and Wu Yin from the positions.

Tian Shihong was appointed the new head of the Standardization Administration, replacing Chen Gang.

Lin Jianhua was removed from his post as president of Chongqing University and named president of Zhejiang University.

Wang Cheng was named president of Lanzhou University, replacing Zhou Xuhong. Zhou was appointed president of Chongqing University.

The State Council also removed Ding Xuedong from his post as the State Council deputy secretary-general and Zheng Xiaosong from the position of assistant minister of finance.