Ma Zhaoxu, former China's permanent representative to the United Nations, has been appointed vice-foreign minister, according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ma is in charge of work related to international organizations and conferences, international economy and arms control.

Appointed China's permanent UN representative in 2018, Ma paid farewell calls to the president of the UN 73rd session, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres on July 8, according to the website of China's Permanent Mission to the UN.

A veteran diplomat, Ma has worked at posts that include director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Information Department and ambassador to Australia.

He served as China's permanent representative to the UN Office in Geneva from 2016 to 2018, before becoming permanent UN representative.