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China Football Association (CFA) general secretary Wei Di has admitted he was “shocked” at the state of the domestic game when he took over in January.

Wei, the former head of China's water sports federation, replaced Nan Yong following an investigation into match-fixing and illegal gambling in Chinese football.

“I took over during a very turbulent period,” Wei said.

“I was not directly involved in football before but I was shocked to know what was happening to Chinese football.

“I have been given a very big responsibility to work closely with all football professionals to change the Chinese football environment, rebuild and improve its credibility and reputation.

“Honestly, I was not quite sure whether I was making the right decision after I first arrived in the CFA but now I am much more confident and a lot more dedicated towards this post.”

Wei revealed the CFA was now operating a “zero tolerance policy” towards football corruption and illegal betting.

“I think this is the only way to win back the confidence of the fans and other stakeholders in Chinese football,” he added.

“I want the CFA to be run professionally and improve the quality of the CSL [Chinese Super League]. This is the way to improve Chinese football.”