A mixed doubles pair of China's Xu Xin and South Korea's Yang Hae-un made it to the final after beating a Hong Kong duo at the world table tennis championships on Thursday.

Given courtside advice by China head coach Liu Guoliang and his South Korean counterpart Ahn Jae-hyung, the transnational pair overcame Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hopi Kem, 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9.

Ahn, who is married to former Chinese world champion Jiao Zhimin and speaks fluent Chinese, is head coach of the South Korean men's team.