Liu, who had lifted exactly the same weight to set the world record mark in the old 67.5kg category when winning at London 2012, successfully lifted 210km in the first round before a failure at his first attempt at the record lift in the second.

A superb effort proved enough in the third, however, to add a further kilogram to the record mark last set seven months ago by Iraq’s Rasool Mohsin.

Nigeria’s Innocent Nnamdi was second with a best lift of 197kg.

Great Britain’s Michael Yule produced 192kg to take third.

There was some Chinese disappointment in the Malaysian capital as Nigeria’s Kehinde Olumide produced a winning lift of 207kg in the under 65kg.

China’s Peng Hu finished second in 201kg with team-mate Xuefeng Lu, the European Open champion, third with 196kg.

Saudi Arabia’s Aseel Alhawsawi claimed under 72kg spoils with a lift of 117.87kg while there was home success for Bunyau Gustin Bonnie and Syalqi Mohd Shikri Muhamad with second and third with 115.17kg and 94.02kg respectively.

There were no world records in the women's events despite three near-misses.

Mexico's world and Paralympic under 61kg champion Amalia Perez successfully lifted 116kg and 122kg before attempting to add 0.5kg onto the world record with 126.5kg.

It was not to be, however, but Perez still came first with her 122kg best.

Vietnam’s Hoang Tuyet Loan Chau was second with 103kg, followed by Great Britain’s Natalie Blake with 98kg.

China’s world champion Yujiao Tan won the women’s up to 67kg event with 136kg, missing out twice at what would have been a record of 139kg.

Nigeria’s Virginia Azu was second with 112kg and Kazakhstan’s Raushan Koishibayeva third with 109kg.

In the women’s up to 73kg, France’s Paralympic and European title holder Souhad Ghazouani only needed one good lift of 140kg in the first round to claim victory.

She missed out at an attempt to better her own world record of 151kg as she comfortably beat Syria’s Rasha Alshikh and Thailand’s Arawan Bootpo.

They managed respective total of 111kg and 100kg.

Competition continues in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, with Rio 2016 ranking points at stake.