PARIS - China's sports marketing agency Desports will have exclusive management of French Ligue 1 champion Paris Saint-Germain's sponsorship rights and license rights in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

The partnership will last for three and a half years from January 2018, according to PSG's press release.

"We started the Paris Saint-Germain project over six years ago. This partnership is an additional proof that our plans are coming to fruition, especially within a very dynamic, exciting Chinese market," said PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

"We have strong, bold ambitions in China, a great country and a crucial market for the club. Partnering with Desports is a major step we are taking to reach more fans and secure more sponsors and revenue streams in this country, which is becoming more and more passionate about football," he added.

Desports aims to connect international sports brands to the Chinese market. Their clients include FIFA, national Olympic committees and sporting events.

"This is just a positive beginning of a long-term partnership between Desports and Paris Saint-Germain. We are looking forward to exploring more collaborations from both sides in the near future, which I firmly believe will be even brighter," said Jiang Lizhang, founder and President of Desports.

Earlier this season, Paris Saint-Germain celebrated Chinese New Year by sharing messages from players, who also wore jerseys with lettering in Mandarin in a recent league game at the Parc des Princes.

Paris Saint-Germain has a presence on Chinese social media platforms including WeChat and Weibo.

Followed by over 1.3 million fans in China, PSG is also the most popular French football club in China. The club will make several further announcements related to its expansion in Asia in the coming weeks.