Liu spent his youth career in Dalian Shide and moved to Hong Kong in 2003 when he started to play for Kitchee.

On 30 April 2008, in the 2008 AFC Cup group match against Singapore Armed Forces, Liu removed his shirt to fan his team-mate Lo Chi Hin, who had collapsed unconscious after suffering a suspected heart attack.

Liu subsequently received a second yellow card from the Sri Lankan referee Hettikamkanamge Perera due to the removal of the shirt.

In July, Liu received a formal apology from Mohammed Bin Hammam, the President of Asian Football Confederation, for this wrong red card given.

He made his international debut on 1 February 2006 in 2006 Carlsberg Cup third-place match versus Croatia national football team.