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Four-time National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) LeBron James begins his five day tour of China by visiting different places in Beijing on Monday.

James, 29, was greeted by Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang at the Wukesong Sports Center. They exchanged gifts with James giving Lang a pair of basketball shoes and Lang giving James a copy of his album and also a FIFA World Cup CD.

The two then played the piano together which Lang composed and called "piano dunk."

In front of hundreds of basketball fans, James stood on the podium and said "Every time I come here, the game of basketball grows more and more."

James first came to Beijing in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, when the American Dream Team won the gold medal against Spain.

And after six years, he said that basketball have continued to rise in popularity.

James also mentioned that he had always imagined of becoming an NBA player and wearing an NBA uniform but he had never dreamt of becoming famous all over the world.

That's why, he said, he always gives everything to the game whether on or off the basketball court "because it has given me so much things that I never dreamed about."

Beijing is the first of five city tours that James will be visiting which is sponsored by Nike. He will also be visiting the cities of Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and two other cities from Taiwan - Kaohsiung and Taipei.

James left Miami Heat earlier this month, where he has won two NBA championships, and returned to his hometown Akron, Ohio to play once again with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lang recently performed at "World Cup Concert in Rio 2014" with Spanish tenor Placido Domingo, Puerto Rican soprano Ana Maria Martinez, Brazilian singer Paula Fernandes, Maestro Eugene Kohn, the Orchestra Sinfonica Brasileira and a host of other musicians from all over the world.

TagsLang Lang, Placido Domingo, Nike, Ana Maria Martinez, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Lebron James