China women's national basketball team

History

Basketball was first introduced in China by YMCA missionaries by the second half of the 1890s, remaining popular in urban areas during the Republican period. With the creation of the People's Republic of China, the sport retained its popularity, being introduced in PE in schools.

The first color movie in China about sports was Xie Jin's Woman Basketball Player No. 5, from 1957. By the 1970s, basketball was, alongside volleyball, one of the most popular women's sport in the country.

China stayed out of international competitions since 1958, when the International Olympic Committee chose Taiwan as the representative of the country.

After the People's Republic of China became the representative of China in international competitions, the basketball team won several accolades, including several golds in the Asian Games and the Asia Cup, a third place in the 1984 Summer Olympics, and a third place in the 1983 Women's World Cup.

For the first time since 1994, China got a medal in the 2022 Women's World Cup after being defeated by Team USA in the finals.

Tournament record

Olympic Games

• 1984 – [[File:Med 3.png]] 3rd place
• 1988 – 6th place
• 1992 – [[File:Med 2.png]] 2nd place
• 1996 – 9th place
• 2004 – 9th place
• 2008 – 4th place
• 2012 – 6th place
• 2016 – 10th place
• 2020 – 5th place
• 2024 – 9th place

Women's World Cup

• 1983 – [[File:Med 3.png]] 3rd place
• 1986 – 5th place
• 1990 – 9th place
• 1994 – [[File:Med 2.png]] 2nd place
• 1998 – 12th place
• 2002 – 6th place
• 2006 – 12th place
• 2010 – 13th place
• 2014 – 6th place
• 2018 – 6th place
• 2022 – [[File:Med 2.png]] 2nd place

Women's Asia Cup

• [[File:Med 1.png]] Gold: 1976, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2023
• [[File:Med 2.png]] Silver: 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 2007, 2015, 2019, 2021
• [[File:Med 3.png]] Bronze: 1997, 2013, 2017, 2025

Asian Games

• [[File:Med 1.png]] Gold; 1982, 1986, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2018, 2022
• [[File:Med 2.png]] Silver; 1978, 1990, 1998, 2014
• [[File:Med 3.png]] Bronze; 1974, 1994

Current roster

Roster for the 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup.

• CHN Gong Luming
• FRA Pierre Vincent
• (C) Team captain
• Club – describes last club before the tournament
• Age – describes age on 13 July 2025

References

References

1. [https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1090206/fiba-womens-olympic-qualifiers China start with win in Belgrade in switched FIBA Women's Olympic qualifier] Mike Rowbottom (insidethegames.biz), 6 February 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
2. [https://www.fiba.basketball/world/women/2014/China
3. "How Basketball Became China's Most Beloved Sport — RADII".
4. Mann, Susan L.. (19 September 2011). "Gender and Sexuality in Modern Chinese History". Cambridge University Press.
5. Nauright, John. (6 April 2012). "Sports around the World: History, Culture, and Practice [4 volumes]: History, Culture, and Practice". ABC-CLIO.
6. Latham, Kevin. (27 July 2007). "Pop Culture China!: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle". ABC-CLIO.
7. (26 July 2005). "Sport and Women: Social Issues in International Perspective". Routledge.
8. (1 October 2022). "Dominant US beat China in final to retain women's basketball World Cup".
9. (7 August 2025). "Team roster: China". [[FIBA]].