Pang Qing, left, and Tong Jian of China greet spectators after their performance during the pairs free skating program of the 2015 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai, March 26, 2015. [Photo/IC]

The pair had retired after the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games but came out to compete on home ice in their 16th world championships.

"It's not my idea to come out of retirement," said Tong, 35, who is the oldest skater competing in the Worlds.

The Olympic silver medallists first competed at the worlds together in 1999 when several of their current Chinese teammates were just kids.

"We won our first world championships in 2006," he said. " And we just finished our last dance here. I hope Pang don't want to come back again. But we will always love figure skating."

"We have given up a lot to carry on our career," said Tong. " But we also have been given a lot from the ice."

"There are some important competitions in an athlete's career, and when we meet difficulties, we think about our previous experiences," Pang said.