Eastern China's coastal city of Qingdao will set up a joint team with southern France's Languedoc-Roussillon to compete in the upcoming Tour de France sailing race.

Qingdao will send two sailors to join the yacht team, said Lin Zhiwei, deputy director of local yachting association, on Sunday.

The two sailors are Guo Wei and Yu Ying, the first Chinese attended the Volvo Ocean Race and winner of the best new sailor that Qingdao selected for the 2009-2010 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

The annual Tour de France sailing race was inaugurated in 1978 and has become the second largest sports event of France in summer. The race has attracted over 12,000 sailors around the world.

The yacht team, South of France, has broken 34 records since it made debutance in the race in 1994.

The 2011 Tour de France sailing race will start in Dunkirk on June 24.