Former Olympic champion Liao Xiaopeng will lead the Chinese team to take part in the gymnastic World Cup to be held in this port city on May 14-15.

Li, 27, who won two gold medals in the men's parallel bars and team events in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, has been out of practice since 2006 due to injuries and has not competed in international competitions. But he has regained his form and fitness, said Huang Yubin, head coach of the Chinese national gymnastics team.

"He is now in Germany to compete in the Stuttgart World Cup stage, which is his first competition in two years," Huang said. "It will be a test for him."

"He will put up some new movements in the parallel bars and horizontal bar," Huang said.

Also in the squad to compete in the Tianjin World Cup are former Olympic and world all-around champion Yang Wei and world pommel horse champion Xiao Qin.

"The Tianjin World Cup will be a precious chance for us to warm up for the Olympic Games," Huang said.

But he added that these gymnasts are not sure participants in the Olympic Games. "We will have Olympic trials and other competitions to decide the final Olympic squad," he said.

Gymnasts from 30 countries and regions, including traditional gymnastic powerhouses of Russia, Japan, South Korea and Belgium, will participate in this competition featuring six men's categories and four women's classes.

During this competition, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Sequence Draw Ceremony, which will decide the competition order during the Beijing Olympic Games, will also be held by Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.

The World Cup will be the last international gymnastics event before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.