KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree to appoint Oleksandr Nechytailo as Ukraine's new ambassador to China, the presidential press service reported Monday.

Nechytailo, 51, a veteran diplomat, will replace Pavlo Riabikin, who was appointed as Ukraine's ambassador to China in April 2023.

ALSO READ: Spokesperson: China has provided four batches of humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Nechytailo served as Ukraine's ambassador to Malaysia from June 2016 and May 2022, and was concurrently accredited as ambassador to the Philippines from September 2017 to May 2022.

READ MORE: China calls for sustainable peace solution to Ukraine crisis

In 1995, Nechytailo graduated from the Kyiv Taras Shevchenko National University with a degree of philology. He specialized as a teacher of Ukrainian language and literature, as well as Chinese language and literature, according to local media reports.

Nechytailo speaks both Chinese and English.