 As with many of the most promising youth players from China, Hao Wei was sent to Brazil for a training programme sponsored by Jianlibao in 1997 with fellow youth prospects Li Tie and Zhang Xiaorui.When he returned to start his professional football career he would join Shandong Luneng in 1998, however he found it difficult to immediately break into the team due to injury, though he was able to play in 11 league games and score 1 goal.It was not until the 1999 league season that Hao Wei would rise to prominence when he established himself as Shandong's first choice right back and help them to a league and cup double.