BEIJING- China has appointed former assistant commerce minister Li Chenggang to head its mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Li replaces Zhang Xiangchen and will also be China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva and other international organisations based in Switzerland, the government said in an announcement on Thursday.

China is the world's largest trading nation in goods. It has benefited from joining the WTO in 2001 but has also been criticised by other countries for unfair trade practices.

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; editing by Barbara Lewis) ((LunTian.Yew@thomsonreuters.com;))