AFL boss Gillon McLachlan will travel to Shanghai on Wednesday, joining Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Port Adelaide chiefs David Koch and Keith Thomas in a major sponsorship announcement, another off-field coup for the Power.



While McLachlan and Thomas, Port's chief executive, refused to give details of the lucrative new deal, the Port expansion has already broken new ground with the club broadcasting games into China through a separate contract with China Central Television.



This week's announcement coincides with the second annual Australia Week in China, marking one of Australia's biggest business delegations into the country. Koch, Port's chairman, outlined their vision for expansion into China in his pre-game address before the club's round-three clash with Essendon which includes introducing a modified version of Australian rules into Chinese schools.



While the Prime Minister has agreed to attend the Port Adelaide announcement, the agreement is expected to have strong links with the South Australian government and expanding tourism and the links between the two regions.



The push into China, first attempted by the Melbourne Football Club through former chief executive Steve Harris, has been thwarted in terms of relocated games due to the lack of suitable venues. McLachlan recently stated that the AFL was still searching for suitable stadiums in New Zealand after the AFL withdrew from playing home-and-away games in Wellington.



The current deal with CCTV involves the broadcasting of three of Port's 2016 games into China along with a 25-part documentary series about the club and the game, to be televised on CCTV's sports channel.