Municipal authorities yesterday appointed two new vice-mayors for Shanghai.

The first, Tu Guangshao, vice-chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), took up the post after the city's standing committee of the municipal people's congress endorsed the appointment proposed by mayor Han Zheng yesterday.

Sixty of the 62 attending members voted for Tu, with two abstentions.

Tu, 48, said the appointment is a great responsibility and he expressed his determination to work hard and stay clean.

"I really appreciate Shanghai residents' confidence in me ," he said.

Tu said he had in the past decade been directly and indirectly involved in the development of Shanghai's financial sector and its efforts to become an international financial center.

"I feel proud of Shanghai's accomplishments ... and I really appreciate the opportunity to serve its future development," he said.

"I will be serious in my work and I will be fair in performing my duties."

Tu, from Hubei Province, had previously worked at the People's Bank of China and for the Beijing government, before joining the CSRC in 1995.

In 2002, he was promoted to the position of vice-chairman of the CSRC.

The standing committee yesterday also approved the appointment of Ai Baojun, general manager of leading steelmaker Baosteel, as a vice-mayor.

Ai, 49, from Liaoning Province, joined the Baosteel Group in 1998 as board director and deputy general manager. Last year, he was appointed general manager of the group.

He also promised to never take advantage of his post for personal gain.

"I will also ensure my family, relatives and friends do not take advantage of my post," he said.

Details of their specific responsibilities have not been announced.

(China Daily December 28, 2007)