The ABC has won permission from the Chinese government to have its Australia Network content made available to the entire Chinese population - the most extensive access afforded to any Western broadcaster.

Australia Network is expected to announce the landmark agreement on Easter Thursday, with an official signing in Shanghai to follow on May 4.

The deal allows the network's content to be distributed by a web portal and rebroadcast by Chinese television networks. It follows Prime Minister Tony Abbott's visit to China last week and will put pressure on the government to rethink its plans to withdraw the Australia Network's funding.

Veteran media buyer Harold Mitchell said the deal showed ''an incredible acceptance by China of Australia'' after the failure of big US companies News Corporation and Google to break into the market.

''This is one of the most important breakthroughs in communications between our countries. No one else has been able to do it,'' Mr Mitchell said.