BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong, China blanked Chinese Taipei 3-0 Friday to take a step forward to capture a bronze at the table tennis team tournament of the Beijing Olympic Games.

    Cheung Yuk of Hongkong demolished Chueng Chih-Yuan 3-0 to score one point in the first outing.

    The 23rd-ranked Chiang Peng-Lung has a hard time against 11-ranked veteran Li Ching who trailed 0-1 in the first game but came back strong to take the next three.

    Despite incisive attacks from Chiang, Li Ching managed to hold on until the last minute and thumped Chiang 13-11 before claiming the marathon match 3-2.

    Ko Lai Chak/ LI Ching, the Athens doubles silver medalists, lived up to their top billing in the third confrontation, upsetting Chang Yen-Shu/Chiang Peng-Lung 3-0 to win the gruelling encounter.

    "We have no way to retreat and fought to our maxium ablility so we won the match," said Hong Kong coach Chan Kong Wah, adding that Cheung Yuk had done a good job in outlasting his rival in the first matchup.

    Li Ching said that it was a tough match but both he and Chiang were in their normal forms.

    "The one who could seize chances won the match," Li said.

    Asian powerhouse Japan and South Korea crashed Hong Kong of China and Chinese Taipei on Thursday to advance into team semifinals.

    Also on Friday, Austria raced past Croatia 3-1 to move forward in battling for the third place finisher. The 2003 world champion Werner Schlager and Chen Weixing won the first two sets over Tan Ruiwu and Zoran Primorac.

    After the Australians dropped the doubles game, Schlager returned to the tables to fight off Andrej Gacina 3-1 before clinching the whole match 3-1.

    "Chen always played well at beginning of the game but I come back strong to win the match," said Schlager. He added that the team hoped to play Japan in the next showdown as Germany is comparatively stronger and hard to beat.

    "German Timo Boll and Dimitrij Ovtcharov have been showing great form in recent months. But no matter which team we take on, we will go all out to fight," Schlager said.

    The table tennis tournament, held in the 8,000-seat stadium in Peking University, is scheduled to last 11 days starting from Aug. 13. The men's team event final will be held Monday following the women's final on Sunday.