China's bubble finally burst when Australia gained an upset 6-5 win to get a semifinals spot in Naseby yesterday.
China has been the dominant men's team at the Asia and Pacific championships and looked invincible when it won five games on the trot.
But it was edged out by the determined Australian team of Stephen Johns, Sean Hall, Hugh Millikin and Ian Palangio that gained its fourth win at the Naseby Indoor Curling Rink.
It puts Australia in a strong position for the best of three semifinals because it is already one game up on China and only needs to win one of the two games today to reach the final.
It would turn the championship on its head if the fourth qualifying team after the round-robin competition pushed the top team out of tomorrow's final.
It would have repercussions for China and would put it out of next year's world championships, where Olympic qualifying points are collected.
China is ranked sixth on the Olympic qualifying table with seven points and needs to get to the world championships to confirm its Olympic Games spot for 2014.
The other semifinal is between second-placed Korea and third-placed Japan. Korea is one game up after beating Japan 7-4 in round-robin play.
The fifth end was the key for Australia when it scored a three to lead 4-2 at the halfway stage.
The game was tight, with both sides matching stone for stone.
China scored two on the sixth end to draw level, 4-4. The sides were still level at 5-5 before the final end.
Australia had the advantage because it had the last rock and skip Palangio made it count.
After the round robin, China and Korea had five wins, Japan and Australia four, Chinese Taipei two, New Zealand one and Kazakhstan none. China was top because it beat Korea.
Korea had a commanding 15-2 win over Kazakhstan. It included fours on the second, fourth and sixth ends.
Japan beat Chinese Taipei 7-5 when it scored two on the extra end. Japan led 5-3 after six ends and all the stones were knocked out of the house on the next three ends before Taipei gained two shots on the 10th end to draw level, 5-5.
China broke the stalemate when it scored three on the ninth end to beat Japan in the final women's round-robin game.
The scores were locked at 5-5 after seven ends and all the stones were knocked out of the house on the eighth end.
New Zealand kept its semifinals hopes alive when it scored a three on the third end and five on the fifth end to beat Kazakhstan 10-5.
It was the second win in a row for the New Zealand team after it beat Australia 9-4 in the previous game.
New Zealand stole four points on the third, fourth and fifth ends and remained in front for the rest of the game that ended when they ran the Australians out of stones on the 10th end.
Korea spoiled Australia's hopes when it won 9-2 by scoring a four on the fourth end in the last round.
China finished with nine wins, Korea eight, Japan six, Australia and New Zealand three, and Kazakhstan one.
