Two-time world figure skating champions Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo have confirmed that they will compete in the 2007 World Figure Skating Championships.

The veteran pairs skaters missed the week's China Figure Skating Classic in Beijing since they are working with their choreographer in Canada.

They decided to use Romanza as the music for their new short program, and traded Madame Butterfly for Jules Massenet's work, Meditation, in the free dance.

Shen and Zhao won the world titles in 2002 and 2003. They took the silver at the 2004 World Championships and withdrew from the 2005 event since Zhao had suffered an Achilles' tendon injury.

Thirty-three-year-old Zhao overcame his injury to win China a bronze medal with partner Shen at the Turin Winter Olympics in February.

(CRI June 7, 2006)