Head coach Alain Perrin has announced China's final 23-man squad that will be hoping to win their first AFC Asian Cup title when the tournament kicks off next month in Australia.
China have been drawn into Group B where they will come up against North Korea, Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia, with their first match on Jan. 10 at the Brisbane Stadium against the latter.
Former Marseille and Portsmouth coach Perrin is banking on the experience of captain Zheng Zhi, who won the 2013 Asian Player of the Year award and plied his trade with Charlton Athletic and Celtic previously before joining Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande back in 2010.
Evergrande are providing the nucleus of the team with seven players from the club named in Perrin's squad, most notably the attacking duo of Gao Lin and Liao Lisheng who are expected to be starters,
China will take on Oman on Jan. 5 as they seek to continue their rich vein of form which has seen them suffer only one loss in their last 10 matches.
China squad for 2014 Asian Cup
Goalkeepers - Wang Dalei (Shandong Luneng), Zeng Cheng (Guangzhou Evergrande), Yan Junling (Shanghai SIPG)
Defenders - Zhang Linpeng (Guangzhou Evergrande), Ren Hang (Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty), Zhang Chengdong (Beijing Guoan), Jiang Zhipeng (Guangzhou R&F), Mei Fang (Guangzhou Evergrande), Ji Xiang (Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty)
Midfielders - Li Ang (Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty), Zheng Zhi (Guangzhou Evergrande), Wu Xi (Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty), Hao Junmin (Shandong Luneng), Yu Hanchao (Guangzhou Evergrande), Wu Lei (Shanghai SIPG), Yu Hai (Guizhou Renhe), Sun Ke (Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty), Liu Jianye (Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty), Liu Binbin (Shandong Luneng), Liao Lisheng (Guangzhou Evergrande), Cai Huikang (Shanghai SIPG)
Strikers - Gao Lin (Guangzhou Evergrande), Yang Xu (Shandong Luneng).