Chinese midfielder Wu Xi said China will let their performance do the talking when they face Vietnam in their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualification game, in response to the Vietnamese side's belittling comments about the Chinese national team.

"I think we should just be ourselves and do as the coaching staff requests in daily practice before playing against Vietnam. That's the most important because that's what will matter when the game begins, not all the talk before it. We will let our game do the talking. That's what football is. It all comes down to your performance on the field," Wu said after China's first training session since arriving at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

China will play their third World Cup qualification game on October 7 in Sharjah against Vietnam. Both teams lost their first two games so neither can afford a third defeat in a row if they want to compete in Qatar in 2022.

Vietnamese media and fans have been trying to build up momentum for their national team by describing their Chinese opponents as a team that has not improved at all in years.

The Chinese national side has been deaf to these noises, with manager Li Tie revealing that the players were instead focusing on enhancing their stamina via more intensive training programs.

"The manager told us to get ready for the coming training sessions. I think it's all part of efforts to help us prepare for future games: both more practice and specific sessions in training are for this very purpose," said Wu.

The Chinese national team will stay in Sharjah until the game against Vietnam and are planning to have three to four warm-up games – opponents are still to be confirmed – in late September to help the players maintain their form.