An official of the majority Han Chinese race on Saturday formally became head of China’s National Ethnic Affairs Commission, the first such appointment in 66 years that did not go to a minority group member.

Chen Xiaojiang was appointed at the end of a top-level meeting in Beijing that also discussed amendments to China’s criminal law which could make juveniles take responsibility for serious charges such as homicide and assault. Contrary to a news report, Hong Kong was not a topic of discussion at the five-day talks, according to the agenda of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the country’s top legislative body.

Chen succeeded Bagatur, an ethnic Mongol. He will be the first Han minister in charge of ethnic issues since the commission’s first minister, Li Weihan, left office in 1954.

An expert in hydraulic engineering, Chen has worked at government technical offices, disciplinary departments such as the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, as well as local governments.

Some scholars believe the appointment is a signal that Beijing mistrusts the country’s ethnic minorities and intends to speed up assimilation.

At its meeting, the NPCSC also approved the appointments of Gansu provincial governor Tang Renjian as agriculture and rural affairs minister; and Heilongjiang governor Wang Wentao as minister of commerce.

NPCSC delegates from all over China discussed proposed amendments to the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency Act and Criminal Law Amendment (XI) which, if passed, would penalize juveniles aged between 12 and 14 over the criminal offenses of intentional homicide and assault.

Other important legislation debated during the meeting included amendments to the National Defense Act, Protection of Personal Information Act, Yangtze River Protection Bill and Anti-Food Waste Bill.

Earlier, online news portal HK01 reported that the committee would announce disqualifying pro-democracy Hong Kong district council members who were elected last November and substituting them with government-appointed councilors. But Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the NPCSC, Tam Yiu-chung, said topics related to the city were not on the agenda of the meeting.

The committee also fixed the dates for the next annual sessions of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the National People’s Congress on March 4 and 5 respectively.

The just-concluded conference is a regular meeting of the 13th NPCSC, whose five-year term ends in March 2023.

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