The CFA has selected 29 players for men's national team training ahead of next month's first Asian Cup 2007 qualifying round match against Palestine.

Zhu Guanghu's squad will convene on 1 February at the Guangdong Qingxin training base after the Chinese New Year festivities, which begin this Sunday.

Dalian defender Zhang Yaokun, yet to complete a loan switch to Sheffield United, has been named in the squad, as has Du Wei, who could be on his way back to Shanghai after Shenhua refused to extend his loan arrangement with Celtic by a further four months. China's other Europe-based players have not been released due to club commitments.

Zheng Zhi is also missing from Zhu Guanghu's squad as the Shandong Luneng midfielder is disqualified from competing in China's next three international matches, while his new team-mate Li Leilei increases Luneng's number of national team represenatatives to five players after the goalkeeper's close-season move from Shenzhen Jianlibao.

China squad:

Ji Mingyi, Zou Jie, Zhao Xuri, Feng Xiaoting, Sun Shoubo, Zhang Yaokun (Dalian Shide)
Zhao Junzhe, Zhang Yonghai, Zang Haili (Liaoning FC)
Li Weifeng, Li Yi (Shenzhen Jianlibao)
Cao Yang, Hao Junmin, Wu Wei'an (Tianjin Teda)
Xie Hui, Sun Xiang, Gao Lin, Du Wei (rumoured to be his way back to Shenhua) (Shanghai Shenhua)
Li Jinyu, Han Peng, Cui Peng, Wang Liang, Li Leilei (Shandong Luneng)
Li Yan (Inter Shanghai)
Zheng Bin (Wuhan Huanghelou)
Tao Wei (Beijing Hyundai)
Li Shuai (Qingdao Zhongneng)
Wang Dong (Changchun Yatai)
Chen Tao (Shenyang Ginde)

Group E fixture schedule:

Matchday 1
22/02/2006: China v Palestine; Singapore v Iraq

Matchday 2
01/03/2006: Palestine v Singapore; Iraq v China

Matchday 3
16/08/2006: Palestine v Iraq; China v Singapore

Matchday 4
06/09/2006: Iraq v Palestine; Singapore v China

Matchday 5
11/10/2006: Palestine v China; Iraq v Singapore

Matchday 6
15/11/2006: China v Iraq; Singapore v Palestine

(Sinosoc.com January 26, 2006)