China's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved Jiang Zemin resignation as the chairman of the state Central Military Commission.

This will formally end Zemin's chequered political career and pave the way for President Hu Jintao to succeed him.

The largely ceremonial position was the last top post Jiang held in the government for the last 15 years.

Jiang, 78, proposed Hu, 62, to be his successor. Both Jiang, viewed as the icon of the 'third generation of Chinese leaders' and Hu, symbol of the 'fourth generation', don't have any formal military background. Hu became a vice-chairman of the Communist Party of China's CMC in 1999.

At the Great Hall of the People, 2,853 delegates attending the National People's Congress, China's parliament, voted to accept Jiang' s resignation, eight voted against and five were undecided.

Jiang had submitted his resignation to the NPC on March 4.