(Agencies/chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-02-26 17:28

GUANGZHOU, China - China continued their winning ways as they cruised over Croatia 3-0 on the third day at the World Team Table Tennis Championship in Guangzhou of South China's Guangdong Province, while South Korea on the same day thrashed European powerhouse Sweden.

China's Wang Hao (L) plays against Croatia's Kovac Borna during the World Team Table Tennis Championship in Guangzhou, Feb.26, 2008. China, unbeaten in this competition since 2000, continued their winning waysas they cruised over Croatia 3-0. [Agencies]

Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min spearheaded the 3-0 victory over the determined Swedes on the third day of the championships, as South Korea gun for their first team title.

The world number eight said South Korea, who finished runner-up at the last worlds, were quietly confident of success in Guangzhou.

"The Chinese team is so strong, every player is the strongest in the world, but we are also strong so we have confidence, and we will take our chances," Ryu told AFP.

But he said the battle to reach the finals would be fierce, with little separating the top men's teams in the group stages so far.

"Many teams have little difference between them at the moment, they are all so strong, but we will play our best in all of the matches."

China, unbeaten in this competition since 2000, barely breaking into a sweat as they cruised over Croatia 3-0 for third straight win.

The star-studded team, boasting the world's top four players, are viewing these championships as the perfect warmup for the Olympics in Beijing where total dominance is demanded.

Chinese Taipei also trampled Poland while Austria downed Belgium also 3-0.

On the women's side, fourth seeds Japan fought a gruelling encounter with South Korea in their group before emerging with a 3-2 victory.

The Asian powers were locked at 2-2 before Japan's teenage prodigy Ai Fukuhara fought a nail-biting five-set battle with Moon Hyun Jung, finally edging over the line for a 3-2 victory for her team.

Fukuhara, 19, said she was under enormous pressure to win, to give Japan the best chance of finishing at the top of their group and avoid meeting formidable China in the quarter-finals.

"I kept thinking I must win this, I must win this, this is so important," the pint-sized star said.

Chinese Hong Kong, who finished second to the mainland team at the last two worlds, thrashed Germany 3-0 while Austria thumped Thailand by the same margin in their groups.