A partnership between Bolton Wanderers and one of China's top football clubs was sealed today.

Chinese Superleague side Wuhan FC signed a partnership agreement with Wanderers executives at the Reebok Stadium.

The deal will enable the Whites to build their profile in China and develop football in the Wuhan region.

These activities will include UEFA coaching courses, seminars, player and coach exchange programmes, and the creation of the Wuhan Bolton Wanderers China Football Development Centre.

Wuhan is the capital of China's Hubei Province and is the biggest city in central China, with a population of 8.3 million.

A 14-strong delegation from Wuhan, led by the city's leader, Miao Wei, and including the club manager, Chen Xu Dong, were at the Reebok today to sign the deal.

Last autumn, Wanderers chief executive Allan Duckworth and commercial director Gareth Moores visited Wuhan to forge the first links with the Chinese city.

The partnership with Wuhan, who have finished fifth in the Chinese Superleague and won the Chinese Super Cup last season, is the first of its kind since the creation of the superleague in 2003.

Mr Duckworth said: "We have been looking at China for some time now as a potential market.

"There is a need to adopt a longer-term approach in developing partnerships and I am delighted that our strategy is starting to bear fruit with the partnership with Wuhan.

"We have identified opportunities that will benefit Wanderers, the North-west and Wuhan. These include the development of coaching, education and business links."

Wuhan's manager, Mr Chen, said: "We consider Bolton Wanderers to be one of the new forces in English football and we are honoured to have them as our partners.

"The Wuhan/Bolton Centre will be unique in China and will make a substantial contribution to the development of football, not just in our city but also in our country."