Beijing, China, April 14, 2005 – With two months still to go until the beginning of the 2006 Men’s World Championship second round tournament (Asia Pool E), the Chinese Volleyball Association has named their squad of 18 players to play in the tournament scheduled for India from June 24-26, 2005.

In announcing the squad, the Association said that one of the most important tasks facing the team is to achieve good results in the World Championship and the Asian Championship and announced that the team, coached by Di Anhe, will gather in Beijing from April 19 to start their two-month training programme.
Pic: Chinese coach Di Anhe talking to his charges during the 2004 World League
The three-day tournament in Chennai, India will see four teams participating - China, India and two teams from the first round. The winner will advance to the final round while the second placed team will enter a three-team play-off for another ticket to the final round.

The new national team welcomes six newcomers who are recruited for the first time into the Chinese national team, and the most noticeable new player is 25-year-old middle blocker Huang Bo, who is good at blocking and fast on attack. However, most of the players are the old faces who have participated in the last World Championship in Argentina and the World Cup in Japan.

The squad is led by Tang Miao and Shen Qiong, who both took part in the 2002 World Championship and the World Cup and their experience is expected to help the team achieve better results.

China: Hu Song, Ma Ming, Yuan Zhi, Chu Hui, Sui Shengsheng, Li Yu, Tang Miao, Shen Qiong, Cui Xiaodong, He Jiong, Huang Bo, Shi Hairong, Qian Dan, Wang Longrui, Yu Dawei, Li Chun, Chen Fang and Guo Peng.