Xia Baolong was appointed director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office on Thursday, according to an appointment notice issued by the council on Thursday.

Xia, 67, is secretary-general of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. He now serves concurrently as the head of the country's HK and Macao affairs office.

Zhang Xiaoming, former head of the office since 2017, was relieved from his post and appointed deputy director of the office in charge of routine work, according to the notice.

Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Fu Ziying, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, were also appointed as deputy directors of the HK and Macao affairs office to serve concurrently with their present posts, the notice said.