China edged out Vietnam 25-13, 25-12, 25-22 to enter the Asian Women's Volleyball Championship final for the first time in eight years on Tuesday, setting up the showdown with hosts Thailand, who downed Japan 3-2.

With their semifinal victories, the finalists have qualified for the 2025 World Championships.

Vietnam showed up as the dark horse of the tournament, outclassing the traditional Asian powerhouse South Korea to reach the semifinal, but they struggled against the young Chinese squad.

China took easy wins in the first two sets, and held off Vietnam's attempt to put up a fight in the third, maintaining their winning streak of six games straight. 

The Chinese women have won the event 13 times since it was launched in 1973, and enjoyed a 10-time winning streak after it was changed to a biennial event in 1987. 

Later on Tuesday, Thailand survived a scare to halt Japan 25-23, 19-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-11.

(Cover: Team China line up before the Asian Women's Volleyball Championship semifinal round in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, September 5, 2023. /Team China's official Weibo account)