International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed is visiting China this week to assess the game's progress and to meet Chinese Olympic officials.

Huq believes that China's standing as the world's leading sporting nation can play a major role in influencing future Olympic rosters.

"China is soon expected to overtake the United States as the top Olympic nation, if not at the 2008 Beijing Olympics then possibly London," Huq told Reuters.

"As such they would have a lot of say in what sports are in the Olympics. That's why it is important that cricket is developed in China and, from what I've seen so far, they have made great strides.

"I don't know if cricket can make it into the London Olympics in 2012, where it could have demonstration status, but maybe the one after that."

Huq hopes to start by convincing Chinese Olympic officials to include Twenty20 cricket in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

He said that 50-overs cricket had been set to make its Asian Games debut in Doha in December but the ACC pulled out after the Asian test countries refused to release top players.

With the advent of Twenty20, Huq believes the Games are now ready to embrace cricket.

"The IOC (International Olympic Committee) cannot comprehend a 50-over tournament that takes weeks to complete," said Huq. "With Twenty20, you can finish a big tournament within three or four days so your best players won't be tied up for so long.

"With Twenty20 being accepted now, I think it helps our cause when it comes to the Olympics."

China's central government is always keen to throw its support behind Olympic sports and, with the rapid pace of cricket's development in the mainland, Huq is eager to see the game become part of the 2010 Asian Games.

He said China's economic boom and its trade relations with cricket-mad India could also help the sport.

"They want to increase trade with India and they realise cricket is a sub-continental phenomena," Huq said. "With cricket, they immediately have access to a huge sub-continental interest.

"Also, they genuinely feel that this is a game where the Asians have an equal chance as the others. They already have 36 teams and coaches producing 600 boys who can play the game every three or four months."

The Chinese Cricket Association's (CCA) goal is to have 15,000 cricketers by 2009, rising to 60,000 by 2012 and 150,000 by 2020.

Jiang Zhenyuan, a director in the CCA's development committee, told Reuters: "If cricket is included in the Asian Games, it would really help in the sport's development.

"First of all, though, we have to improve our performances. Once we do that, it would be easier to persuade the authorities to include us in the Asian Games."

In August, the CCA sent officials to the ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur, featuring the non test-playing, second-tier teams in Asia. The event was won by United Arab Emirates, who defeated Hong Kong in the final.

Jiang said he hoped China could field a competitive team in the tournament within the next "five to six years".

Hong Kong, a former British colony that has an active cricket league, could also play a role in China's cricketing development.

After all, the CCA was initially inspired to ramp up their development programme after visiting the 2004 Hong Kong International Sixes.

Hong Kong has helped China's rugby union development by allowing club teams from across the border to take part in their own domestic league.

Jiang said China would be keen for a similar partnership in cricket.

"If we can have clubs or players who can have a chance to play in Hong Kong or abroad, it will provide them with a great chance to play the game at a competitive level," Jiang said.