Li Yongbo, head coach of China's national badminton team, sees the AVIVA-COFCO China Masters as the best chance to prepare for June's Thomas and Uber Cup team competition in Japan, and says he will send the strongest team to the 2006 season's first six-star tournament.

The event, to be held in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province from March 7 to 12, is expected to attract the world's best players, as there are no other big tournaments between the just-concluded All-England Open and the team championships.

"Though applications for the event have not started yet, I believe most of the best players will come to China to compete. It is a six-star event (the highest-level Open event) and is a very good chance to win as many points as possible," says coach Li. "All the national members will go to Chengdu and improve themselves by competing with the world's top players."

Li adds the team will have a closed-door training next month for the Tomas and Uber Cup, so the Masters is the best platform to showcase how much the players have improved.

Li is optimistic of the coming competition, especially with the national team members producing outstanding performances in the past two big events - the German Open and the All-England Open.

China equalled last year's historic feat by winning four of the five titles at the All England badminton championships last week.

Two weeks ago in Germany, the nation's teenagers Chen Jin and Lu Lan surprisingly clinched men's and women's singles titles.

"We have had a very good beginning to the new season. Everyone, young or veteran, has done a good job."

(China Daily January 26, 2006)