World and Olympic runners-up China is set to enter the Hong Kong International Women Soccer Invitation Tournament slated for January 14-16 next year, the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) said on December 30.

China, who lost to the United States both in the finals of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and of the 1999 Women's World Cup, will field their first line-up into the tournament.

African champions Nigeria, who finished top eight in this year' s World Cup, will give favorites China much trouble in the four- team competition.

To enhance Hong Kong's women's soccer, HKFA is to form a "Hong Kong Invitation Team", which will be composed of 11 players from Shanghai, Dalian and Beijing. Among them, Shui Qingxia and Zhou Yang are former Chinese national team members.

The four teams will be drawn to compete in two semi-finals on January 14 and the winners of the two matches are to face in the final on January 16.