The team consists of 12 martial artists competing in kumite (combat) events and three others taking part in kata (performance events).

Vu Son Ha, Head of the Vietnamese karatedo team, said he expects the team to win at least one gold medal at the tournament.

After the tournament, female marital artist Vu Thi Nguyet Anh will undergo surgery so she will be able to compete at the Southeast Asian Games in November.

Young female martial artist Nguyen Thanh Hang will replace the injured Nguyen Hoang Ngan in the kata individual and team events.

At the last Asian Championships two years ago, Pham Hoai Long bagged one silver medal while Bui Thi Trieu and Vu Thi Nguyet Anh both pocketed bronze medals.

In June 2001 the Vietnamese karatedo team won four gold, one silver and five bronze medals at the Korea Cup Kyokushin Karate Open Tournament.