BEIJING (AP) — China has appointed a former missile force commander as its new defense minister.

Lt. Gen. Wei Fenghe's naming as the international face of China's rapid military modernization was among a series of appointments undertaken by the ceremonial legislature on Monday.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi was reappointed to that position and also promoted to state counselor, while Zhao Kezhi was confirmed as minister of public security in charge of the police.

Chen Wenqing remains minister of state security responsible for espionage and counterintelligence.

Wei is outranked by President Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, and two vice chairmen, but will be the main interface between China's 2 million-member armed forces and the rest of the world's militaries.