A STRONG security plan is in place for the AFL's historic China experiment, but the League has played down any concerns of tensions with North Korea stopping the game from going ahead.
Port Adelaide will play Gold Coast at Shanghai's Jiangwan Sports Stadium on Sunday week.
The first AFL officials are already on the ground in Shanghai, with more to follow from Sunday before the teams, umpires and media travel later next week.
Concerns about military activity on the Korean peninsula impacting on the game were first thrust into the headlines a fortnight ago when Power chief executive Keith Thomas confirmed Gold Coast's Metricon Stadium was on stand-by if needed.
Since then, the AFL and both clubs have moved to scotch any doubts about the match going ahead.
"Look there's absolutely no concern," AFL fixturing boss Travis Auld told AFL.com.au this week.
"There's a security piece that goes with every game.
"Our security team has done a lot of work around this particular game.
"Any time you take players and staff and clubs internationally then they need to be accompanied by a pretty strong security plan.
"That exists with the co-operation of other bodies both here and internationally, and so those guys are as prepared as they would like to be and ready to go."
As recently as Wednesday, international news agencies reported increased activity at a suspected nuclear testing site in North Korea.
"We're fully prepared for the game, we've put an enormous amount of time into it," Auld said.
"There's no issue from our point of view and it'll go ahead as planned."
The China game is about much more than the promotion of football on an international stage.
Tourism Australia has invested about $1million to help make the match happen and a number of key conversations with Chinese business leaders are expected to take place on the sidelines.
A gala function is planned on the Saturday night before the game.
Port Adelaide is hoping the game is the first step in attracting the potentially lucrative Chinese sponsorship market, while Gold Coast hopes help spread its message to potential Chinese tourists.
