Felipe Aguilar reached the turn in 32 to open up a two-shot lead as the Volvo China Open reached its closing stages at Topwin Golf and Country Club.
The Chilean already has two European Tour victories to his name and they both came in Asia, with his last coming two years ago next week at The Championship at Laguna National.
On that occasion he finished birdie-eagle with a pair of twos but there was no suggestion such drama would be required on Sunday, as four birdies on the front nine moved him to 20 under ahead of Richard Bland and Li Haotong.
A win this week would be an incredible turnaround in form for 41 year old Aguilar, who had missed six cuts in a row prior to making it into the weekend at last week's Shenzhen International.
Li was aiming to become the second Chinese winner of this event in succession after Wu Ashun in 2015 and he also had four birdies in his first nine holes.
Bland joined him on the birdie trail and the Englishman made six gains in his first 11 holes as he seeks a first European Tour win in his 382nd event.
Dane Lucas Bjerregaard had started the day alongside Aguilar at 16 under but had a single gain on the third to report after a brilliant approach on the hole which he eagled in two in round three.
Aguilar put his approach on the first to around 12 feet for his first gain and then rolled in a 15-footer on the third for another birdie. He had really found his range with his irons and made birdies from six and two feet on the fifth and seventh, sandwiching a 20-foot effort that was one roll away from helping him to three in a row.
Li made birdies on the third and fifth and then two big drives enabled him to birdie the par four seventh after finding the fringe off the tee, and the par five eighth after making the green in two.
Bland was giving himself plenty of chances and was in excellent form inside 15 feet, making birdies on the second, third, sixth, eighth, ninth and tenth.
American David Lipsky was also six under for his round through 14 holes to sit four off the lead, a shot clear of Peter Hanson, Scott Hend, Thorbjørn Olesen, Richie Ramsay and Marcel Siem.
Brett Rumford was 11 under after 12 holes and was celebrating the third hole-in-one of the week and 19th of the season as he needed just one blow on the par three 13th.
