Still one and a half years away to the Beijing Olympic Games, Chinese sports officials have already been mulling over candidates for the Chinese flag-bearer in the 2008 opening ceremony.

Olympic champion 110-meter hurdler Liu Xiang receives an interview at Doha Internationa Airport upon arrival December 5,2006.Chinese Track and Field squad arrived in Doha in the early morning today for the 15the Doha Asian Games.[Xinhua]

"Yao Ming and Liu Xiang are absolutely the hottest favorites for the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Games," said Xiao Tian, deputy minister of Chinese General Administration of Sport.

China's Yao Ming looks around during his world basketball championships game against Greece in Saitama August 27, 2006. [Reuters]

"Some female athletes also have a realistic shot at the honor," added Xiao, who didn't mention the names of any possible female candidates.

NBA star Yao Ming and men's 110m hurdles world record holder Liu Xiang are regarded as the icon of Chinese sport.

The 2.26-meter tall Yao, who was the NBA first draft pick in 2002, carried China's national flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympics in Athens, while Liu replaced Yao as the flag-bearer at the closing ceremony after winning the men's 110m hurdles Olympic gold medal with a world record-tying time of 12.91 seconds.

According to Xiao, the Chinese flag bearer needs to be a world champion with sportsmanship, good looks and physique.

With the absence of Yao and late arrival of Liu, badminton world champion Bao Chunlai was selected to carry China's flag at the opening ceremony of the Doha Asian Games on December 1.

"Bao Chunlai meets those three requirements perfectly," Xiao said.

Yang Yang (A) became the first Chinese woman athlete to carry the national flag at a major multi-sports meet when the double speedskating Olympic champion ushered in the Chinese delegation at the Turin Winter Olympics last February.