BEIJING -- China's cabinet has appointed a veteran journalist to head the state broadcaster -- China Central Television (CCTV).

Shen Haixiong, 51, also takes over the role as deputy head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, according to a statement issued by the State Council on Friday.

Shen was a journalist with Xinhua News Agency for 26 years, starting as a reporter in Zhejiang Province and rising through the ranks to become the agency's vice president. In 2015, he left to take up the post of publicity chief of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guangdong provincial committee.

He replaces Nie Chenxi, who had been CCTV president since April 2015.

In 2016, CCTV re-branded its international channels under China Global Television Network, or CGTN.