China's Yang Kaiwen reaches Chunlan Cup final

At the 15th Chunlan Cup held in Changjiang, Hainan Province, China's Yang Kaiwen reached his maiden final in a world-class competition in the sport of weiqi, also known as "go".

In the semifinals, Yang, playing with the black pieces, defeated South Korea's defending champion Byun Sang-il in the deciding set. This marked the first time the 27-year-old Chinese player had advanced to a major world tournament final, following his victory in his first national title last year.

Earlier in March, Yang made headlines by defeating South Korea's Shin Jin-seo in the round of 16 during the first phase of the Chunlan Cup. He later stated that this match was the most significant of his career. In the second phase, held in Hainan, where China had five players competing, Yang overcame his compatriot and world champion Li Xuanhao, and subsequently Byun, to maintain his impressive form.

The final will take place next March, pitting Yang against another South Korean, Park Jung-hwan, who defeated Japan's Shibano Toramaru in the other semifinal.