The China Chamber of International Commerce and Australian Rules football club Port Adelaide have announced a new strategic partnership to further business links between the two countries.

Foundations for the deal were laid during the first Aussie Rules match be staged outside of Australia last May when the Queensland-based Gold Coast Suns team visited Shanghai.

The collaboration will consist of a trade and investment event in Shanghai this May before a CCOIC delegation visits the southern city of Adelaide in August.

“This partnership with the CCOIC will help to further the positive business exchange between our two countries,” said Port Adelaide general manager Andrew Hunter.

“China’s trading value for 2017 totalled 923.4 billion yuan. The export value from Australia to China accounts for over 30 percent of Australia’s total export value.”

“We look forward to continued growth as our relationship expands in importance and value.”

Aussie Rules is Australia’s favorite sport, with one in 27 Australians paying members of the sport’s professional league, the AFL.

The Port Adelaide club boasts some of Aussie Rules’ most influential fans, who number 60,000 in total, according to Hunter.

“This high level of engagement underscores the value we can provide to Chinese companies — something that has been recognized by the CCOIC and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Research undertaken by Port Adelaide reveals that, since that historic Aussies Rules game in Shanghai, almost 60 percent of the club’s members have a more positive view of, and interest in, China.