Zhu Guanghu
Cao Yang began his international career playing for the Chinese U-23 team where he was named in the squad to play in the Football at the 2002 Asian Games and saw China knocked out in the Quarter-finals. His performance in the tournament was considered good enough for him to be promoted to the senior team by the Chinese caretaker coach Shen Xiangfu on December 7, 2002 in a friendly game against Syria in a 3–1 victory. With Zhu Guanghu as the national teams coach Cao's international career would start to see him become a regular within the team and he was included in the squad that won the 2005 East Asian Football Championship as well as also being in the squad that took part in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.