China's Ding Junhui advances at Snooker International Championships

Chinese number one snooker player Ding Junhui beat compatriot Xiao Guodong to reach the last 16 of the 2019 Snooker International Championships.

Ding opened the game taking the first four frames in a row, and secured a 6-1 win.

Ding Junhui of China plays a shot to Xiao Guodong of China in the second round match during the 2019 World Snooker International Championship in Daqing city, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, 6 August 2019. [Photo: IC]

Next, the former world number one is tasked with another all-Chinese clash – his third in a row this week – when he takes on former World Cup winning partner Liang Wenbo.

Elsewhere, world champion Judd Trump safely got past Scott Donaldson.

Trump will regain the world number one spot with one more victory.

Mark Selby and John Higgins both recorded 6-3 victories in the second round.

Chinese player Yan Bingtao saved four frames after falling into a 5-0 deficit but still got eliminated by Shaun Murphy 6-4.

The 2019 Snooker International Championships is being held in Daqing, Heilongjiang province.

The single-elimination tournament offers a total prize pot of 970,000 US dollars and the prize for the champion is over 210,000 dollars.