A Tigers delegation including former England captain Martin Johnson met officials from China's sports ministry in Beijing on Monday to agree the deal.

Some Chinese coaches will also receive training at Welford Road.

In return, some English coaches and referees will head to China to give courses and officiate at matches.

Rugby union is very much a minority sport in China, with the national team ranked 50th in the world.

The first club was started in 1990 at China's Agriculture University with the CRFA being formed six years later and becoming affiliated with the governing International Rugby Board (IRB) in early 1997.

To be a truly global sport we need to have more teams capable of being world champions Martin Johnson

The only active teams outside expatriate clubs are concentrated in the universities and the army and the China team were knocked out of the Asian qualifying rounds for the 2007 World Cup last month.

But Leicester chief executive Peter Wheeler, the former Lions hooker, believes China has the long-term potential to become a force in the international game.

"I don't think it's an exaggeration to say in 20 years, China could target being in the top 16 nations in the world," he said.

"We've just come over to see if there is there something in the skills and expertise that we've developed at Leicester that can help develop the game in China."

Former England and Lions captain Johnson also believes rugby must embrace countries like China.

"To be a truly global sport we need to have more teams capable of being world champions at the 15-a-side game," he said.

"That's something we'd all love to see. I think rugby needs it in a way more than these countries need rugby.

"The great thing about the soccer World Cup is that you've got every continent on the planet competing. Africans are winning, Australasians are there, Americans, North and South, the Europeans and Asians are all there playing.

"And if we can get that in our game, that would be fantastic."