Chinese woman grandmaster Zhao Xue and rising star Shen Yang both snatched an easy win over their British rivals to lead China 2-0.

Twelve-year-old Hou Yifan, the youngest player in the tournament, took 59-year-old Jana Bellin a match between generations to seal the victory for China.

Winning the first two rounds of matches, the women's team joined France, Lithuania and Latvia to top the standings with six points.

On the men's side, China triumphed over Scotland 3.5-0.5 for their second straight victory in the tournament.

The Chinese women will next take on European powerhouse France, while the men's team plays Slovakia.
 
(CRI English May 23, 2006)