The Englishman triumphed in Shenzen in November - which was part of the 2006 schedule - but a quirk of the calendar means the £1million tournament has moved to Beijing to make its reappearance.

Casey has a good record in China, he also won the TCL Classic last year, but faces a tricky defence against a field full of experience and in-form players.

There are seven players with Ryder Cup experience, 28 proven winners and seven who have already won on the Asian and European Tours this season.

However, the 28-year-old Casey, 10th on the European Tour Order of Merit, is quietly confident of becoming the first two-time China Open champion.

"I felt I put in a lot of good, hard work in the past year or more and there are various aspects of the game which feel very solid right now," said Casey, whose world ranking has slipped to 60th.

"I feel a lot better this time than last year or the year before. I just have to produce results now.

"It's as simple as that. A lot of my friends are ahead of me in the world ranking list on the European Tour and on the world tour and I just have to chase them.

"I dearly want to return to the top 50. I need to play in those big events. My game has progressed over the last couple of years. I think I am capable of producing some great results. That's all what it boils down to.

"I have put the work in. When will it pay off? Hopefully, very soon.

"It's very nice to be back. It is obviously a different venue and very soon after my victory in Shenzhen last year, but it is wonderful to have the opportunity to defend this. I would dearly love to win the same golf event twice in one year."
Swedish sensation Henrik Stenson, currently fifth in the European Tour Order of Merit, flew into Beijing directly from the Masters - where he missed the cut.

Asian Tour challenger Thongchai Jaidee, who became the first Thai to play at Augusta, will also compete in the Chinese capital.

Stenson is favourite to win the tournament and the 30-year-old from Gothenburg will be looking for a solid performance at the wind-swept Nick Faldo-designed course.

"I played in the pro-am tournament today and it was very cold, freezing in fact.

"It's a nice design and a good layout. I think we have a good tournament and I guess, as always, the best man will win and hopefully that will be me," said Stenson, who won his third career title at the Qatar Masters in January,

The field also includes 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie and Korean Charlie Wi, the 2001 champion, and home favourite Zhang Lian-wei, who won this tournament in 2003.

England's Simon Dyson, winner of the Indonesia Open earlier this year, and Swede Johan Edfors, a winner the last time the European Tour visited China in the TCL Classic in March also compete.

Frenchman Jean van de Velde is also in the field with fellow Ryder Cup veteran Italian Costantino Rocca.