Chen Xuyuan speaks after being elected president of Chinese Football Association (CFA) at its 11th membership conference at the Xianghe National Football Training Center in Hebei province on Aug 22, 2019. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - The Chinese football governing body chief has urged national team players to set an example role in reducing their salaries.

Chen Xuyuan, president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), asked national team players to agree to pay cuts on April 5 when he visited the men's national team who were under an obligatory quarantine after flying from a training camp in Dubai, the Beijing Youth Daily reported on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: CFA building a foundation for the future

Chen hoped the players could show consideration for the CFA proposal which required pay cuts on the part of the players to ease the burdens of their clubs, which are struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The CFA said last Thursday that its affiliated professional clubs had reached a consensus in reducing salaries.

READ MORE: AFC extends postponement of all matches and competitions beyond June

The CFA is working out the details of a guide which the clubs will follow in implementing the pay cuts.