Nalin Surie was on Monday appointed India's ambassador to China.

Surie will replace incumbent Shiv Shankar Menon, who has been appointed as the new Indian high commissioner to Pakistan.

An Ministry of External Affairs release in Delhi said Surie was expected to take up his new assignment 'shortly'.

At present, he is an additional secretary in the MEA.

China had earlier cleared his appointment.

Surie was also in Beijing as part of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's entourage.

UNI