It is the first time that China and Thailand have claimed an Olympic eventing team slot, although both countries have had individual starters at previous Olympics.

They finished second and third respectively at the International Equestrian Federation (FEI)-designated Olympic qualifier held in Saumur in France for Olympic Groups F and G, which covers Africa and the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Hong Kong finished fourth after only one of their three starters went through to the final jumping phase.

Japan, assured of a starting place on home ground at Tokyo 2020, were fractionally behind China after the cross-country test, but they regained the lead they had established in the dressage to take top spot by 6.1 penalties ahead of the Chinese.

China, led by double Olympian Alex Hua Tian who finished eighth at Rio 2016, held on for second place and a Tokyo 2020 ticket in front of Thailand.

Hua Tian, who made his Olympic debut at the age of 18 at Beijing 2008, was bidding for individual success with the talented Don Geniro, but four faults in today's jumping handed victory to the 1993 European champion Jean Lou Bigot of France with Aktion De Belheme.

Paweł Spisak, a four-time Olympian, led his team to victory on home turf in Baborówko to book Poland a place at Tokyo 2020.

Riding his Rio 2016 horse Banderas, the 37-year-old also claimed the individual honours ahead of two-time Olympic champion Michael Jung of Germany with Fischerchipmunk FRH.

Both Belarus and Russia also fielded teams in Baborówko, the setting for the Olympic Group C qualifier covering Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

However, when just two of the Belarusians and one Russian completed all three phases, the Poles were left untroubled at the top.

Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand are gearing up for Tokyo 2020 having secured Olympic qualification at last year’s FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon in the United States.

There are still spaces available for five more teams to make up the full quota of 15 eventing teams for Tokyo 2020.

An additional 20 individual places are up for grabs via the FEI Olympic rankings to fill the overall quota of 65 starters.

Remaining opportunities for nations to qualify eventing teams for Tokyo 2020 are at this year’s Pan American Games in Peru’s capital Lima and the FEI European Eventing Championships in Luhmühlen in Germany, both of which have two slots available.

Additionally, the highest-ranked nation at the end of the 2019 FEI Eventing Nations Cup series, which concludes in Boekelo in The Netherlands in October, will also book their ticket for next year’s Olympics.

The FEI system allows nations from each of the Olympic Groups two opportunities to qualify, either at the 2018 World Equestrian Games or at their designated regional qualifier.