Chinese gymnasts celebrate their victory on the podium. Photo: CFP

China's all-powerful men stormed to the team gymnastics gold at the Asian Games late Saturday, with an under-strength Japan taking silver and South Korea hanging on for bronze.

China scored 368.500 points, with Japan 357.500 and South Korea 352.950, in a repeat of the medal lineup four years ago in Doha.

It was China's 10th consecutive Asian Games team gold and they are also the reigning Olympic and world champions.

Their team boasted three current world apparatus champions in Chen Yibing, Feng Zhe and Zhang Chenglong, as well as outstanding all-rounders Lu Bo and Teng Haibin, with Yan Mingyong completing a formidable lineup.

Head team coach Chen Xiong said his charges had performed well despite feeling fatigued after last month's world championships in Rotterdam.

"We came here immediately after the world championships. We were tired but we still performed well," he said.

"Team work and team spirit helped them to overcome their fatigue. Japan are major opposition and they performed well in the morning, but we did better."

Chen said the long-term goal was the London Olympic Games in 2012.

"We want to do well for the people of China and for the press," he said.

Hot favorites before the action got underway at the state-of-the-art Asian Games Town Gymnasium, China's relentless march to yet another Asiad title was never in doubt.

Japan's gymnasts admitted the Chinese were just too good, especially with the home crowd roaring them on.

Takuya Nakase said, "The Chinese team is a very strong opponent and we could not hope to surpass them."

But he was upbeat nevertheless.

"Today's performance was very good and I have not done as well as today for a long time," he said.

"I have told my wife the good news - I wanted to pass on my happiness to her as soon as possible."

The team final, which also doubled as qualification for individual events, saw Kazakhstan finish fourth, with regional rivals Uzbekistan just behind them.

They had pushed South Korea all the way, but the Koreans held on despite some costly slips.

"I was too nervous to concentrate and my teammates were also very nervous, so we made some mistakes," said Korea's Yang Hak-seon.

China's coach Chen said he was confident of more success in the individual disciplines.

"We will win the gold medal for sure in the pommel horse and the parallel bars."

 Agencies