President Xi Jinping's top aide has been appointed chief of Beijing's anti-corruption watchdog, a move that observers say signals the government's intensified corruption crackdown against erring government officials and Communist Party members.

Li Shulei, 51, assumed his new role on Thursday as the secretary of Beijing's Commission for Disciplinary Inspection. Since President Xi assumed office, scores of government officials have been found guilty of committing graft.

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Li headed Fujian's public relations department for a year before he was named Beijing's anti-corruption chief.

Li was Xi's deputy in the elite Central Party School from 2007-2012 when President Xi headed it as secretary of the Communist Party's Central Committee Secretariat.

According to Hong Kong and Taiwan media, Li served as Xi's speechwriter during the time he was head of the secretariat.

Li allegedly wrote the President's speech that he delivered two years ago before an arts and literature forum which called on all the artists to serve the people and preserve socialism.

Before joining the Communist Party School at 24, Li obtained a degree in library science and a Masters and Doctorate degree in Literature at the prestigious Peking University.

After two years as one of the school's think tank, Li became the youngest vice president of the school at 44 years old.

Political analysts say Li's appointment heralds the start of a more vigorous anti-corruption campaign by President Xi, who vowed to eradicate graft and corruption during his term of office.

Li's appointment is also seen by many as the result of his closeness with the President despite having no experience at all in discipline inspection.

Although his  government experience is relatively little, political observers say Li is more than capable of running the new office being entrusted to him.

TagsBeijing's Commission for Disciplinary Inspection, Li Shulei, Central Party School