The former top official of Hubei province, Li Hongzhong, has been appointed to lead the northern port city of Tianjina move that experts said could push forward the anti-graft effort after the municipality's former top official was put under probe.

The Communist Party of China Central Committee announced the appointment in a statement on Tuesday, three days after Huang Xingguo, the former acting Party chief and mayor of Tianjin, was investigated for suspected "serious disciplinary violations", usually a reference to corruption.

The statement said Li, now 60, would no longer hold the post of secretary of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee.