"MLB is prepared to do whatever it takes to help develop baseball in China. We plan to bring the team to the United States in July in preparation for the Guangzhou Asian Games," Small said. "But as to who manages the team next, it's up to the CBA."

Baseball is still a medal sport at the Asian Games and the Chinese pro league is set to swing away later this year.

"The partnership with MLB since 2002 has borne a strategic significance with Chinese players going to play in the US and national team coaches getting training from MLB experts," Lei Jun, chairman of the CBA, said.

"We did achieve some progress (the two wins over Chinese Taipei) but that's not much compared with the real strength of other Asian countries as well as the world's power teams.

"The road of baseball development has been and will still be bumpy. That's why we need the help of MLB," Lei said.

"Our goal (of the partnership with CBA) is to have baseball reach a significant level in the world's largest country," Small said.

For that, Small said there were two areas of focus.

That is to make the game more visible and more popular through road shows, the setting up of clubs at college campuses, the continuation of the Play Ball! Program in 120 schools and increased TV coverage in China. The other focus is to increase the level of play in China through MLB providing coaches and inviting the national squad to the US for training each year.

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