Due to his versatility to play on either flanks, Zhou Ting was called up to the senior national team in a friendly against Chile on August 20, 2003 in a 0-0 draw. Under the Chinese head coach Arie Haan, Zhou Ting would become a regular member within the team and would be included in the squads that participated in the 2003 East Asian Football Championship, FIFA World Cup qualification and the squad that came runners-up in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup.