By Laurie Chen

BEIJING (Reuters) -China has formalised the new role of top trade negotiator Li Chenggang, dropping him from the post of permanent representative to the World Trade Organization, the official news agency Xinhua said on Monday.

The news come after tension between the world’s two biggest economies flared after the United States added more foreign companies under its sanctions and China set wide-ranging export curbs on rare earths and critical materials in response.

The announcement, following Li’s April appointment to the job of lead international trade negotiator, was part of a routine list of recent ambassadorial changes approved by President Xi Jinping.

China’s current representative to the WTO is Li Yongjie, who presented her credentials on September 29, the trade body

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