Chinese men's volleyball team will try to achieve their first qualification for the Olympic Games since 1984, an official said on Monday.

The Chinese men's team have been away from the Olympics for over 20 years, a far cry from their women's counterparts who was crowned in 2004 Athens Olympics.

"We will spare no efforts to clinch a spot in the 2008 Olympic Games,"said Zhang Rongfang, the volleyball section chief of the China State General Administration of Sports.

The Chinese men's team last fought into the Olympic Games in 1984 and ended up with an eighth-place finish.

But their women counterparts have enjoyed a much more glorious history, pulling off the "Grand Slam" by winning at the 1981 World Cup, 1982 World Championships and 1984 Olympics.

Zhang, a member of the championship team, admitted that the current men's squad stand among the second-string teams in the world, but a raft of measures have been taken in a bid to revive the team.

"We named a new coach Zhou Jian'an three months ago after careful nationwide selection,"Zhang said.

Zhou, a former player of the national team, took the provincial team of Sichuan to the runners-up place in the National Games last year.

"Besides, we give the team full financial support, sending them abroad to challenge elite opponents or inviting them over here," Zhang said.