China's parliament on Saturday approved appointments to two key posts.
Wang Yi, China's former ambassador to Japan, is the new foreign minister.
The appointment of Wang, who speaks Japanese, comes at a crucial time in the relationship between China and Japan, as the two countries negotiate over ownership of a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea.
Chang Wanquan, who has been involved with China's space program, was approved as the new defense minister.