Wang Qishan was elected vice president of China on Saturday at the annual session of the country's top legislature. [Special coverage]

Wang was elected at the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress by nearly 3,000 lawmakers.

After the announcement of the election result, Wang shook hands with Xi Jinping, China's newly-elected president, amid warm applause in the Great Hall of the People.

He later took an oath of allegiance to the country's Constitution upon assuming office.

Wang, born in July 1948, was a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC from 2012 to 2017.