Hao Ping, China's vice minister for education and representative to the UNESCO's executive board, was on Tuesday elected the president of the 37th General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for a two-year mandate.

Hao Ping was officially endorsed for the appointment at the opening of the 37th session of the General Conference, to replace Katalin Bogyay, Hungary's ambassador to UNESCO, who had presided the 36th session since October 25, 2011.

The endorsement made him the first representative of China to be elected to chair the supreme governing body of UNESCO, the General Conference.

The General Conference of UNESCO consists of representatives of its 195 member states. They meet every two years to determine policies and main lines of work, set the programs and budget, elect members of the executive board, and appoint the director-general every four years.