Guizhou unveiled McGowan on Thursday evening at a club season launch, alongside fellow new recruit Nikica Jelavic, formerly of West Ham, Everton and Rangers.

McGowan left Henan Jianye last month after only one season following his switch from Scotland.

The Adelaide-born 27-year-old, who has a young family, had been linked with a return to Scotland where he previously spent time with Dundee United and Hearts but opted to remain in China.

The recent changes to the foreign allowance rules in the CSL appeared to end McGowan's second stint in the lucrative competition, after a previous spell with Shandong Luneng during 2013 and 2014.

The 18-time Socceroo will have plenty of foreign competition for a game at Guizhou, with Jelavic along with Ali Ghazal, Michael Olunga and Massimo Luongo's former QPR team-mate Tjaronn Chery among the squad.

The new CSL rules mean only three foreign players are permitted on the field at one time per team, which was previously four.

Australian trio Dario Vidosic, Michael Thwaite and Aleksandar Jovanovic all left their Chinese clubs in the off-season.

Trent Sainsbury was loaned out by Jiangsu Sainty and Milos Degenek had a proposed move scuppered in light of the rule changes.

Robbie Kruse and James Holland went the opposite way, joining Liaoning Whowin.