China outclassed their rivals easily to retain their men’s team title at the world gymnastics championships on Thursday.

Earning top scores on four of the six apparatus, the Chinese team underlined their dominance with a final total of 281.900, a convincing 4.875 points ahead of silver medallists Japan.

Hosts Germany gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about to capture the bronze.

Last year’s silver medallists Russia were seventh in the eight-team final, further misery for the former powerhouse after their women’s team finished last in their final on Wednesday.

The United States finished fourth in a final that many critics had thought they would not even qualify for and proved that last year’s abysmal 13th place had been a blip.

In the same rotation group as Japan, China outshone their fellow Asians on the pommel horse after a solid but unspectacular start on the floor exercise.

Xiao Qin spun his legs fast and high in a stylish routine that earned 16.225 and suggested he held on to his pommel horse title in the weekend’s apparatus finals.

Last year’s rings champion Chen Yibing showed he too was at his best, effortlessly switching from controlled handstands to dynamic swings on the rings to pick up 16.450.

The holders surged further ahead after the vault where defending all-round champion Yang Wei’s explosive twisting effort notched 16.525, the day’s highest score on that apparatus.

Japan went one better than last year in getting the silver medal but the gulf between them and the winners was evident, especially on the rings where they repeatedly seemed unable to hold their handstands.