In an interview given to Xinhua News Agency after the 2007 Women's Epéé World Cup in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province on May 20, Ji Daoming, Secretary-General of the Chinese Fencing Association and head of the Fencing Department of the Cycling and Fencing Administrative Center under the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC), said that to the national fencing team winning Olympic tickets as soon as possible has become its top priority now.

At the Nanjing World Cup China's Li Na finished third in the individual competition while Team China placed fifth in the team competition. "Generally speaking," Ji noted, "our fencers gave a good play to their skills, as epee is often an event with fortuitous results, and ups and downs of a fencer's ranking within the top 32 are considered normal." It is true that in Nanjing the top four in the individual competition, except China's Li Na who emerged the bronze medalist, were all ranked behind the 16th in the world ranking list, and that none of the world's top four fencers managed to enter the last eight in Nanjing. As for the winner, Russia's No. 1 swordswoman Logounova, ranks a mere 31st.

According to the rules, from now on till May 2008, the period for Olympic ranking points competitions, fencers who rank the top eight will automatically qualify for the Olympic Games. "So in the next 12 months," added Ji, "we'll try our very best to win Olympic berths as soon as possible not only in the women's epee but in other events." He admitted to have two fencers in top eight in each of the event would be difficult, but that is the team's goal, and only when they have earned the tickets will they discuss about their Olympic goals. He also mentioned the wild cards, but in his opinion, though a fencer can take part in the Olympic Games with a wild card, it is not likely for him or her to get a good position.

Talking about the removal of the women's epee and men's team foil from the 2008 Olympic Program, which is believed to be a heavy blow to the Chinese team, Ji said with a smile that all they can do is to face the facts and try to make some breakthroughs in the individual events instead.

During the Nanjing World Cup, Luo Xiaojuan, a famed fencer, failed to do well under the pressure brought by a large home crowd. There were similar problems at the previous men's foil competition. The phenomenon caught the attention of the coaches. In Ji Daoming's words, "Right now many of our fencers are technically strong, but some of them tend to have a stage fright on home soil." As GASC deputy director Xiao Tian put it, China boasts top-class fencers in the women's epee, women's saber and men's foil, yet victory or defeat will depend largely on how consistent they are throughout the competition.