MIES (2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup) - On Friday 7 August, FIBA's Central Board will decide and announce who of the People's Republic of China or the Republic of the Philippines will host the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

In the lead-up to the decision, FIBA.com takes a closer look at the proposals made by both countries, focusing on four key areas:
1. Vision and concept
2. Experience in hosting events
3. Basketball history
4. Cities and venues

Here, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) provides information about its cities and venues.

China 2019 - Modern venues at the heart of historical Chinese cities

For the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, China offers no less than eight cities with world-class venues and experience in hosting major international sporting events. All games are guaranteed to bring large crowds of passionate fans and followed by millions through the latest innovations in digital technology, sport presentation and broadcasting.

Host Cities
Beijing: The Chinese capital will be the centerpiece of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup being the host of games in both rounds of the Group Phase and all games from the Quarter-Finals through to the Final. The City of Beijing is linked to both its glorious and notorious past, as well as the current modern times. Complex as it is compelling, Beijing offers visitors an array of options to experience. From historic sites, delicious foods and exciting sports teams, it has it all. Beijing has its own very successful professional basketball team within the CBA league - The Beijing Ducks - who won the CBA championship title for the last three seasons. A basketball crazed city, Beijing offers the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup a unique and exciting platform.

Nanjing: Lying on the lower stretches of the Yangzi River, Nanjing boasts a rich, impressive and active historical heritage. The famous sport city boasts an atmosphere that is both cultured and relaxed. With the remnants of the Youth Olympic Games recently held in this famous University City, there are plenty of sport facilities still in use, especially the basketball courts which now play home to the Jiangsu Dragons within the CBA League.

Suzhou: While the city was synonymous with high culture and elegance, over the years this has slowly shifted to focus on more modern aspects such as sport. With a thriving basketball community, the city of Suzhou will give an exciting stage for the World Cup.

Wuhan: A basketball city at heart, Wuhan has much experience in hosting top level events, just last year the city played host to the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup welcoming teams from across Asia with full stadiums.

Guangzhou: Sport, especially basketball, plays a large part in the life of Guangzhou's citizens: even the indoor arena is used primarily for basketball - it hosted the NBA pre-season game between the New Jersey Nets and the Houston Rockets in 2010 and the 2010 Guangzhou Asia Games. In a city of 13 million people, basketball is on the minds of all its citizens!

Shenzhen: Having hosted the Summer Universiade in 2011, the newly-constructed sports venues are ready to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2019 and its sport ambitions citizens are ready to welcome the world!

Foshan: Foshan is a modern city with ancient roots dating back centuries. While the city is famous for its ancestral temples, in recent years the city has paid more and more attention to the endeavour of sport.

Dongguan: As with most cities in China, Dongguan as well as its business partners is also highly invested in sport, especially basketball. This is supported through corporate investors such as Nissan who have recently invested in the purchasing of the Dongguan Basketball Center which is tailored specifically for the development of basketball. With the support on all levels, Dongguan is ready to welcome the FIBA Basketball World Cup!

World class venues
China 2019 proposes eight competition venues to host the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Six of these venues are existing, having proven their reliability in hosting major sport events and concerts. These six venues all have experience in hosting high-level basketball competitions, whether they are home of a CBA League team or they have hosted international matches in FIBA Asia competitions.

Two of the venues that are planned to be used for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China will be newly built. The one in Suzhou, the Suzhou Industrial Park Sports Center, is a state-of-the-art 13,000 seats arena set to open in 2017 located in a larger sports complex comprised of a football stadium and other facilities. The one in Foshan, the Foshan Metro Sports Arena, consists of a 14,700 seats arena which is set to become the home of the Foshan Fralions of the CBA League. Completion date is scheduled for 2018.

The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China will be held in more host cities than ever before, bringing more fans than ever before to state-of-the-art venues, all of this at the heart of the rich and beautiful Chinese culture.