Though 15-year-old Cao, 2010 Asian Games winner, earned 26 perfect marks, one more than Qiu, the young talent had one less over-100 point dive compared to his older teammate. Cao had to settle for silver, totalling 602.75. British veteran Peter Waterfield claimed third spot with 546.95 points. Just out of medal range were 2008 World Cup champion Sascha Klein (GER), fourth, and 2009 World champion Thomas Daley (GBR), fifth.
Qiu, who already finished first in the event in Moscow last week, said: "My new career high 609.20 will be a great boost for me in the future. I hope I can keep on going like today. However, my 407C was not very good, otherwise, it can be called a perfect night!"
"It is no big difference to earn a 9 or 10 points for me, actually. I was nervous," Qiu continued.
It was Cao's first time to enter the 600-point club. On his performance, Cao reflected: "The 602.75 means a good start for me."
Olympic gold medallist Wu Minxia (CHN) claimed her second title in the women's 3m springboard despite flaws in her second and fifth dives. Wu's winning total was 402.30 points, edging reigning World Cup champion teammate He Zi by 2.10 points. The bronze medal went to Canadian Jennifer Abel with 382.05 points.
In the women's 10m platform synchro, Chen Ruolin/Wang Hao won with 365.52 points, beating Leong Mun Yee/Pamg Pandelela (MAS) and Alexandra Croak/Melissa Wu (AUS) into second and third.
Chinese duo Qin Kai/Luo Yutong were the best in the men's 3m springboard synchro, scoring 476.64. Olympic bronze medallists Illya Kvasha/Oleksey Prygorov (UKR) and Patrick Hausding/Stephan Feck (GER) bagged a silver and bronze, respectively. Beijing Olympic silver medallists Dmitry Sautin/Yury Kunakov of Russia finished a disappointing fifth.
After Beijing, the FINA/Midea Diving World Series' next stop is Sheffield (GBR) on April 15-16 and Guanajuato (MEX) on April 22-23.