[3] Cao made another twenty appearances and scored two goals during the 2010 season as he helped guide the club to another fourth-place finish.
[4] On 12 February 2011, Cao transferred to Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua.
[5] He made his debut for the club on 2 March 2011 in a 0-0 draw against Kashima Antlers in the 2011 AFC Champions League.
[6] He scored his first goal for the club on 21 September 2011 in a 1-0 win against Yanbian Baekdu Tigers in the 2011 Chinese FA Cup.
[10] Cao made his debut for the Chinese national team on 15 November 2016 in a 0-0 draw against Qatar.