James Carson scored the winner against higher-ranked opposition at the Malaysian capital’s Bukit Jalil Stadium.

His speculative shot in the 27th minute deflected off a Chinese player’s stick and over goalkeeper Yan Rongyao's head.

China’s Dong Yang, who celebrated 100 caps yesterday, had got China off to the perfect start by firing home after the defence proved unable to clear a loose ball.

But Wales hit back with Jacob Draper bursting through the defence and rifling home the equaliser in the 14th minute.

This opened the way for an onslaught of attacking play from Wales and two further goals.

The first was a penalty corner from Gareth Furlong, whose shot flew into the roof of the net, while the second came from Carson.

China pulled one back in the 50th minute when Su Lixing scored one of his trademark penalty corners, but it proved nothing more than a consolation.  

"After conceding a goal early on, we settled down and started to play the hockey we wanted to play," Draper said.

"We managed to pass nicely and controlled the game.

"We dug in well at the end and showed we had strong legs.

"We scored three great team goals and they came from all over the pitch."

In the seventh-place play-off, Brazil defeated Belarus 4-3.

Belarus took the lead in the second quarter through a fine penalty corner from Aliaksandr Hancharou and quickly doubled the advantage when Uladzislau Belavusau scored from open play.

But seconds later, Brazil's Matheus Borges scored from a penalty corner and Gabriel de Grandis made it 2-2 just before the break.

The South Americans went ahead for the first time in the third quarter, thanks to Fabio Assis, but saw that lead cancelled out when Artur Kadran hammered a penalty corner into the top of the net.

Belarus came close on several occasions in the final quarter but it was Brazil who grabbed the vital final goal with Lucas Paixão smashing home.

Action at the FIH Series Finals is due to continue tomorrow with the penultimate-round matches between Italy and Canada, and Austria and Malaysia.

The final and third-place play-off are scheduled for Saturday (May 4).