The UK prides itself on being the home of modern football with the English Premier League. China, after lagging behind for years in the beautiful game, is now seeking to develop its footballing culture. It hopes its coopereation with the UK can work in a sporting context as well. Mike Fox has more.  

Football in the UK has been popular with Chinese people since 1978. In 1998, Bobby Houghton became head coach of the PRC's national team but China was not involved at the world cup in France that year. At that tournament David Beckham and Michael Owen's performances increased and made them popular to fans all over the world, including China and soon it was working the other way with Sun Jihai and Fan Zhiyi becoming the first Chinese players to play in England when they joined Crystal Palace who at that time were in the second division.

Football exchanges between the two nations have increased this decade. The Premier League is the most profitable league the world and Asian markets have become increasingly important to its marketability. China's large population adding to its fanatical fan base. This has led to a number of stars purposely branding themselves more in China on social media.

Former England captain Beckham was named the Chinese Super Leagues Global Ambassador in 2013, and youth players from the Soong Ching-Ling Foundation traveled to the UK one year later, with the retired icon continuing the development efforts.

With Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong hosting a conference on ways to further bolster the sport through bilateral efforts while visiting the UK in September, 2015. Both sides have reaffirmed plans for their respective governments to collaborate by helping promote its professional leagues, while officially cementing further cooperation in youth football development projects.

President Xi jinping visited Manchester on his State Visit to the UK on October 2015, with the company of then UK Prime Minister David Cameron. President Xi visited the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester and had a tour of the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City. The president offered a chance to push international football forward back at home, emphasizing the benefits of bilateral cooperation. On the same day, Sun Jihai, who played for Manchester City from 2002 to 2008, became the first Chinese elected to the football Hall of Fame with President Xi Jinping witnessing the ceremony. Football communications between China and UK may be entering into a golden era. Mike Fox, CGTN.