JAKARTA, May 14: Champions China put aside concern for victims of the devastating earthquake back home to sweep into the semi-finals of the Thomas Cup on Wednesday, but their women suffered a major scare in the Uber Cup.

The Chinese men crushed Thailand 3-0 and next face Malaysia, who dismissed Japan in commanding fashion.

But the women, who are unbeaten for 10 years in the Uber Cup, were taken to the brink by the Netherlands.

World No 1 Xie Xingfang suffered a shock loss to Jie Yao in three sets and world No 4 Zhu Lin also crumbled to defeat.

Lu Lan clawed a game back with the doubles pairings left to repair the damage in a narrow 3-2 victory.

It set up a semi-final against South Korea who will take heart from China’s struggles, after they recovered from going 1-0 down to beat Malaysia 4-1.

Like China, hosts Indonesia have teams in the last four of both the men’s and women’s team championships.

The Indonesian men romped to a 3-0 victory over England in front of a vocal home crowd, with world numbers six and seven, Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Taufik Hidayat, winning their singles rubbers.

They now play South Korea whose tactics of deliberately losing their group games to ensure an easier route to the final paid off when they upset European powerhouse Denmark 3-2.

The host nation’s women stunned Hong Kong 3-0 and will next play Germany who won their blockbuster encounter against the Danes by the same score.

World No 1 Lin Dan opened the tie for China’s men with a 21-15, 21-14 drubbing of Boonsak Ponsana.

The doubles pairing of Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng proved a different class to Tesana Panvisavas and Nuttaphon Narkthong, winning 21-12, 21-17, before Bao Chunlai eased past Poompat Sapkulchananart 21-14, 21-11 to end Thai hopes.

Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, the world No 2 who will likely face Lin in the opening semi-final rubber on Friday, helped his team brush aside Japan 3-0, overcoming Shoji Sato 21-10, 21-16.

Koo Keat Kien and Choong Tan Fook made it 2-0 with victory over Shintaro Ikeda and Shuichi Sakamoto with Wong Choong Han sealing Japan’s fate when he beat Kenichi Tago.

Quarter-final results:

Thomas Cup:

China bt Thailand 3-0 (Lin Dan bt Boonsak Ponsana 21-15, 21-14; Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng bt Tesana Panvisavas/Nuttaphon Narkthong 21-12, 21-17; Bao Chunlai bt Poompat Sapkulchananart 21-14, 21-11).

Malaysia bt Japan 3-0 (Lee Chong Wei bt Shoji Sato 21-10, 21-16; Koo Keat Kien/Choong Tan Fook bt Shintaro Ikeda/Shuichi Sakamoto 21-13, 21-11; Wong Choong Han bt Kenichi Tago 21-13, 21-18).

Indonesia bt England 3-0 (Sony Dwi Kuncoro bt Andrew Smith 23-25, 21-19, 21-5; Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawen bt Robert Adcock/Robin Middleton 21-12, 21-10; Taifik Hidayat bt Rajiv Ouseph 21-17, 21-16).

South Korea bt Denmark 3-2 (Peter Gade bt Park Sung-Hwan 24-26, 22-10, 21-19; Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen bt Jung Jae-Sung/Lee Yong-Dae 21-18, 10-21, 21-19; Lee Hyun-Il bt Joachim Persson 21-10, 21-14; Lee Jae-Jin/Hwang Ji-Man bt Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen 21-19, 21-18; Shon Seung Mo bt Jan O’ Jorgensen 21-11, 21-19).

Uber Cup:

Indonesia bt Hong Kong 3-0 (Maria Kristin bt Yip Pui Yin 21-19, 21-19; Lilyana Natsir/Vita Marissa bt Koon Wai Chee/Chau Hoi Wah 21-14, 21-4; Adriyanti Firdasari bt Mong Kwan Yi 21-7, 21-9).

Germany bt Denmark 3-0 (Xu Huaiwen bt Tine Rasmussen 21-19, 19-21, 21-19; Julianne Schenk bt Nanna Brosolat Jensen 21-15, 21-9; Birgit Overzier/Xu Huaiwen bt Mile Schjott Kristensen/Christinna Pedersen 21-19, 16-21, 21-16).

China bt Netherlands 3-2 (Jie Yao (NED) bt Xie Xingfang (CHN) 14-21, 21-12, 21-16; Lu Lan (CHN) bt Judith Meulendijks (NED) 10-21, 2-18, 22-20; Rachel Van Cutsen (NED) bt Zhu Lin (CHN) 21-14, 11-21, 21-16; Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen (CHN) bt Paulien Van Dooremalen/Judith Meulendijks (NED) 21-19, 21-9; Wei Yili/Zhang Yawen (CHN) bt Rachel Van Custen/Karina De Wit (NED) 21-10, 21-7).

South Korea bt Malaysia 3-1 (Wong Mew Choo (MAS) bt Hwang Hye-Youn (KOR) 21-16, 21-5; Lee Hyo-Jung/Kim Min-Jung (KOR) bt Lim Pek Siah/Wong Pei Tty (MAS) 21-13, 21-4; Lee Yun-Hwa (KOR) bt Julia Wong Pei Xian (MAS) 21-14, 21-13; Lee Kyung-Won/Ha Jung-Eun (KOR) bt Chin Eei Hui/Lydia Cheah Li Ya 17-21, 21-16, 21-12).—AFP