China‘ Miao Lijie (R) dribbles past Belarus' Tatyana Troina during their women's quarter-final basketball match China vs. Belarus at the Olympic basketball gymnasium on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, as part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. [Agencies]

BEIJING - Hosts China advanced to the semi-finals of the women's Olympic basketball tournament with a 77-62 victory over Belarus on Tuesday.

Captain Miao Lijie, China's best player during the group stage, scord 28 points to keep alive her team's chances of a first Olympic medal in 16 years.

The United States, bidding for a fourth straight Olympic title, world champions Australia and Russia are expected to fill the podium places in Beijing.

China last won an Olympic medal in women's basketball at the 1992 Barcelona Games, taking silver behind the unified team of former Soviet republics.