Erkin Tuniyaz File photo: scio.gov.cn

Erkin Tuniyaz was appointed the acting chairman of the regional government of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Thursday, replacing Shohrat Zakir.

The 29th meeting of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Thursday approved the resignation of Zakir as chairman of Xinjiang regional government and appointed Tuniyaz the acting chairman. 

Born in December, 1961 in Xinjiang's Aksu Prefecture, Tuniyaz studied math at Changji Normal College between 1980 and 1983, and obtained a master's degree in economics in 1999 from Xinjiang University. 

Tuniyaz used to serve as the deputy head of Organization Department of Communist Party of China Xinjiang Committee and deputy Party secretary of Hotan before becoming vice chairman of Xinjiang regional government in 2008. 

According to Tuniyaz's resume on people.com.cn, he studied law at the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee between 2009 and 2011 and was a senior visiting scholar at the Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2012. 

He also serves as a member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xinjiang Committee.

The Global Times found Tuniyaz has defended Xinjiang in face of Western slander at the UN Human Rights Council and other occasions. 

Tuniyaz delivered a keynote speech at an online event jointly held by Xinjiang regional government and China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva in February. He noted the event is intended to present the real Xinjiang for attendees to come to their own conclusions amid lies by some Western and the US politicians who accused China of committing genocide, forced labor and forced sterilization in the region.