Bayern Munich has become the first foreign club to open an office in mainland China as it seeks new sponsorship and merchandising deals in a nation where the sport has become a national priority.

“It’s the right time to come to China,” the team’s Chief Executive Officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in an interview in Shanghai, where the office was officially opened on Wednesday. “We will come here constantly.”

The club isn’t alone in targeting Asia’s soccer-loving public: rivals like Manchester United and Barcelona have a presence in Hong Kong, where they’re looking to leverage their global popularity to secure sponsorships.

Bayern plans to open a second soccer school in China later in the year, after the first one in the northeastern port city of Qingdao began operating earlier in 2017.

Counting Adidas, Audi and Allianz SE as backers at home, Bayern is also on the lookout for sponsorships in China. “What we look for is long-term, sustainable and exclusive partnerships,” Rummenigge said, without elaborating.