China has tried to bring Doha its best athletes to the 15th Asian Games, a senior Chinese delegation official said here on Tuesday.

Cui Dalin, deputy chef de mission, said China sent a star-studded team to the gulf country, including 167 Olympians and 32 Athens Olympic Champions.

"We attach a lot of importance to this Asian Games because it is the last large-scale comprehensive sports meet before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games," said Cui.

"Although there are many young athletes in the delegation, but generally speaking, they are of world level," he said.

Over 400 of the 647 Asiad-bound Chinese athletes have yet to make their appearances in a comprehensive sports meet but many of them have already been world champion.

Guo Yue, 18, did not show up in Busan Asian Games four years ago but she has just become a member of the women's winning team at the world table tennis championships this year.

Huo Liang, 16, and Lin Yue, 15, finished gold medallists of the men's diving 10m platform in this year's World Cup before they make their Asian Games debut.

"The quota is limited, so we can not bring all the medal hopefuls here. And some of the top athletes, plagued by injuries, need some time to heal," he said, taking Athens weightlifting champion Liu Chunhong as an example.

"She got injured in the world championships last month and has not recovered yet, so we should let her rest," he said.

Despite of some missing stars, Chinese squad still have a lot to boast such as Athens 110m hurdles champion Liu Xiang and double Olympic diving champion Guo Jingjing.

China finished top of the medals tally with 150 golds, 84 silvers and 74 bronzes in Busan Asiad four years ago.