A highly promising left-back Tao Wei would quickly be included in the short-lived Chinese national youth team program to study football abroad that was sponsored by Jianlibao.
[1] After spending several years studying in Russia and Brazil he would eventually graduate from the program and begin his career in 1998 when he made 8 appearances for Beijing Guoan in his debut season.
Tao Wei would have to wait until January 27, 2004, until he was included in the senior Chinese team to face Macedonia in a friendly that ended in a 0–0 draw.
[4][5] In preparation for the 2004 AFC Asian Cup he would play in numerous friendlies, however head coach Arie Haan preferred the potential of Zhou Haibin and the experience of Li Ming to take to the tournament.
Tao Wei would have to wait until Zhu Guanghu became head coach until he was given his second chance to establish himself in the senior team and while he played a significant part in the qualification for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup even scoring his debut goal against Iraq he was not included in the squad that took part in the tournament where this time Shao Jiayi was preferred in midfield.