BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Friday approved the cabinet nomination of Chen Zhu, a non-Party member, as the country's new health minister.

    Chen, 54, is not a member of Communist Party of China. He is the second non-Party member to be given such a key appointment since the late 1970s following the appointment of Wan Gang as minister of science and technology in April this year.

    Chen, a Paris-trained scientist, is replacing 63-year-old Gao Qiang, who will serve as secretary of the ministry's leading Party members' group and vice minister.