The Hong Kong-listed miner named vice-chairman Li Yanjiang and Shanghai bank director Zhou Qinye as proposed replacements for outgoing non-executive directors Zhang Ke and Wu Rongkang.

Zhang and Wu will finish up on February 1, in accordance with term limit requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

China Coal Energy released the nominations just days after a positive report on November operational results marked notable year-over-year increases in production and domestic sales.

Commercial coal production volume increased 20% compared to November 2011 to 10 million tonnes while coal sales increased 39% to 14.2Mt – 9.6Mt of which was domestic, self-produced coal.

In a letter to shareholders yesterday, the company identified Li and Zhou as having extensive qualifications to fill the upcoming vacancies on the board.

Li, China National Coal Group’s vice-chairman, once served as the general manager of China Coal International Economic and Technical Cooperation Corporation, the chairman and general manager of China Coal Construction Group Corporation.

He also served as a director and the general manager of China National Coal Industry Import and Export (Group) Corporation, the vice president of China Coal Research Institute, the chairman and general manager of China Foma as well as a director of China National Machinery Industry Corporation and others.

Zhou currently is an independent director of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Industrial Bank and SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, as well as a director of Shanghai East-China Computer Co., Ltd.

He is a member of the China Accounting Standards Committee under the ministry of finance and the China Internal Control Standards Committee, a director of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a standing director of the China Appraisal Society.

The economics PhD is also a member of Shanghai Judiciary Expertise Committee, an arbitrator of Shanghai Arbitration Commission and a director of Heren Charitable Foundation. He once served as vice president and chief accountant of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, as well as a member of the Issuance Review and Approval Committee and the Substantial Restructuring Review Committee of the CSRC.

China Coal Energy is a subsidiary of China National Coal Group and claims having the fifth largest coal resources among all listed coal enterprises in the world.