China taps Kong Xuanyou as new envoy to Japan: sources

China has decided to appoint Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, considered an expert on Japan, as its next ambassador to the neighboring country, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.Beijing has already told Japan that it intends to replace the current ambassador, Cheng Yonghua, early next month, ending what has been an unusually long stint for a Chinese envoy in Tokyo, the sources said.As relations between the two countries have been improving, Beijing has likely deemed it an optimal time to send a new ambassador, they said. Kong, 59, has worked in Japan as a diplomat for more …READ FULL ARTICLE