The 56-year-old Briton, who won five consecutive Olympic gold medals in rowing between Los Angeles 1984 and Sydney 2000, was welcomed to his new role by Liu Aijie, chairman of the Chinese Rowing Association (CRA).

He is said to have full responsibility for the Chinese national rowing team's training programme and will also be tasked with implementing a youth development programme and a coach training system.

"This opportunity was totally unexpected," Redgrave, who has worked closely with the British squad, was reported as saying by BBC Sport.

"I have visited China to watch the team train and compete and am very excited about becoming involved with such an enthusiastic and committed group of athletes."

It is hoped Redgrave's appointment will improve the standard of rowing in China, whose only Olympic rowing gold medal to date came in the women's quadruple sculls event at Beijing 2008.

The country has won nine Olympic rowing medals in all.

Last December, Liu publicly stated the CRA's target to win at least two gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Redgrave retired from competitive rowing after winning the coxless four event at Sydney 2000. 

He also won nine World Championship titles during an illustrious career which has seen him become widely considered as one of the greatest rowers in history.

Redgrave was one of the final Torchbearers for the 2012 Olympics, carrying the Torch into the London Stadium during the event's Opening Ceremony.

He was appointed a Knight Bachelor for services to rowing in the Queen's 2001 New Year's Honours list.