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China named 2019 basketball World Cup host

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Chinese basketball star Yao Ming answers a question during the Chinese delegation media availability in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup host announcement ceremony in Tokyo on August 7, 2015 (AFP Photo/Toshifumi Kitamura)

Tokyo (AFP) - China has won the right to host the 2019 basketball World Cup, beating the Philippines in Friday's vote in Tokyo.

The sport's international ruling body FIBA chose basketball-mad China following a presentation by the country's delegation, helped by former NBA giant Yao Ming.

"I'm very excited to bring the 2019 World Cup to China," said the one-time Houston Rockets great, who represented China at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.