The all-mighty Chinese shuttlers are set to dominate the badminton competitions in the 15th Doha Asian Games to be held from Dec. 1-15.

With their women dominating the world as ever, China has five players in the world's men's singles rankings and the once-lagging men's doubles has hit top gear recently.

Chinese players suffered a heavy blow at the Busan games four years ago, heading South Korea's port city in hopes of winning up three to five golds but ending up with getting two titles in women's team and women's singles.

"It was partly due to the unfair refereeing," China badminton team head coach Li Yongbo told Xinhua during the China Open last October, adding that it was the only occasion during which the honour-packed Chinese shuttlers failed to fulfill what they had promised.

Four years later, the Chinese shuttlers have become near flawless and unbeatable in the international team competitions, becoming the first country to win the prestigious Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup simultaneously.

They redemonstrated the excellence in individual events in 2006 by wrapping up four out of five titles at the Madrid Wolrd Championships.

Although they are set to rule at the Doha games badminton tournament, China still have to keep on high alert as the traditional badminton powerhouses like Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea will pose serious threats. And there is no doubt that the badminton event will be of world class.

In the men's singles, world number one Lin Dan will lead the Chinese charge towards the title and will be reinforced by world number five Chen Jin and number six Bao Chunlai. On way to the glory, they must battle off main contenders including Malaysia's world number two Lee Chong Wei and number ten Hashim Muhd Hafiz, South Korea's world number seven Lee Hyun II, and Indonesia’s world number 12 and defending champion Hidayat Taufik, to name just a few.

In the men's doubles, China's Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng, winners of Chinese Taipei Open, Macau Open championship, and World Championships this year, have found top form by staying on the first place in the IBF men's doubles rankings for ten weeks since September.

But their main rivals from long standing opponents like Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea will be no pushovers as they are all among world top ten.

While Chinese men have to struggle among a cluster of world best players, their female colleagues need only to concentrate on the limited number of rivals just like four years ago.

Every coach must be dreaming of such a Chinese women's lineup, bristling with Uber Cup winners, Sudirman Cup holders, world champions and Olympic victors. Spearheading the squad is the current world number one Zhang Ning, together with second-ranked Xie Xingfang and sixth-ranked teenager Zhu Lin. For the doubles, top-ranked Gao Ling/Huang Sui and fourth-ranked Du Jing/Yu Yang are enlisted.

Athens Olympic champions and second-ranked Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen were excluded to make room for much younger Du/Yu, the Olympic hopefuls who need more opportunities to shape their skills in less than two years' time. In men's part, in-form Chen Hong, ranked number four in men's singles, and mixed doubles veteran Zhang Jun were both dropped simply for the same reason.

If there is any trouble for the Chinese women in attaining the single's title, they have to overcome their former teammate Wang Chen, now playing for Hong Kong, China.

For mixed doubles, China will send fourth-ranked Xie Zhongbo/Zhang Yawen and newly-paired Gao Ling/Zheng Bo. They will face Indonesia's world number one Widianto Nova/Natsir Lilyana and Thailand's world number three Prapakamol Sudket/Thoungthongkam Saralee.

For the team titles, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and South Koreaare all capable of claiming the men's title while defending champion China will meet less challenge in winning the women's gold.

Squad:

Men: Lin Dan, Chen Jin, Bao Chunlai, Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng, Guo Zhendong, Zhengbo, Xie Zhongbo

Women: Zhang Ning, Xie Xingfang, Zhu Lin, Gao Ling, Huang Sui, Du Jing, Yu Yang, Zhang Yawen.