Li Keqiang was re-elected for a second five-year term as China's premier by the National People's Congress on Sunday, although it is believed that he will have less influence within the government.

As President Xi Jinping moves to bolster his influence at home and abroad, his confidant Wang Qishan was appointed vice president by the country's parliament on Saturday, and Wang is certain to take charge of various economic matters.

Li has also managed economic policies but his influence in that field is likely to decrease with the appointment of Wang as vice president.

The Xi-led government has also decided to promote Foreign Minister Wang Yi to state councilor in charge of foreign affairs, replacing Yang Jiechi, China's top diplomat, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.

Wang Qishan, who was one of the seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee of the ruling Communist Party of China, served as vice premier in charge of financial affairs and worked on economic negotiations with the United States.

Xi is expected to ask Wang Qishan to deal with trade disputes with Washington, which has imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, escalating tensions with China and other trading partners.

Two legislators voted against Li's reappointment as premier, with 2,964 in favor.

Li, an economic expert who graduated from Peking University, is known as a confidant of Xi's predecessor Hu Jintao as they worked together at the Communist Youth League of China, an organization composed of the country's young political elite.

As Xi apparently desires to remain in office indefinitely, he has been trying to diminish the league's influence.

Xi, who has promised to intensify the fight against corruption, also ousted Ling Jihua, a one-time top aide to Hu, for suspected bribery.

Ling was one of the prime targets of Xi's anti-graft campaign that critics say is partly aimed at helping him further consolidate his power and stave off influence from his predecessor's faction.

Xi was re-elected for a second five-year term as China's president by parliament on Saturday.

Last Sunday, China's congress agreed to remove from the country's Constitution the two-term limit for the president and vice president, effectively paving the way for Xi's re-election to a third five-year term in 2023.

There is growing concern that the latest constitutional amendment heralds a return to authoritarianism in China as the nation's long-established collective leadership system is expected to become a mere formality.

On Sunday, the NPC also appointed Yang Xiaodu, a member of the Political Bureau of the ruling party, as director of the new national supervisory commission, under which various anti-graft bodies will be integrated.

A provision regarding the new anti-graft agency was adopted earlier this month by parliament to be inserted in China's Constitution, the first constitutional amendment since 2004.

The congress agreed to appoint Yang, with 2,953 votes in favor, six against and seven abstentions.