China striker Wu Lei (center) dashes toward the ball in an international friendly soccer match against Syria on Tuesday in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. China won 2-0. It was the first victory for the Chinese men in four matches. Photo: VCG

Knowledge of Chinese history and learning the words to the national anthem are a basic obligation for every citizen, an immigration specialist noted in response to China's soccer watchdog's new rule demanding that naturalized players must study Chinese culture and history.

"Naturalized players should be given traditional Chinese cultural education and learn Chinese history and the [country's current] situation," states a new regulation released by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Friday.

Football clubs should make a Chinese language learning plan and maintain patriotism. Naturalized players should be able to tell the national flag and emblem and sing the national anthem, the regulation says. 

"Grass-roots Party organizations should promote and teach the history and basic theories of the Communist Party of China," it read.

Clubs should assign people to be responsible for tracking the naturalized players' thoughts, life, training and matches, and hand in a report to the CFA every month.

"Being a naturalized citizen means a player is like any other Chinese citizen. They need to obey the basic obligations of citizens, such as knowing Chinese history and singing the national anthem," Song Quancheng, head of the Institute of Migration Studies at Shandong University, told the Global Times.

China does not recognize dual citizenship. Song said that naturalized players have seen the potential of having Chinese citizenship, so there may be more cases in the future.

Meanwhile, Song suggested that it is important for China to make an immigration law and establish an immigration department.

British-born Nico Yennaris on Saturday night became China's first naturalized soccer player to play in the Chinese Super League (CSL), after the CSL ruled earlier that payers waiting for naturalization could not start playing until the process was completed. 

Yennaris, whose Chinese name is Li Ke, made his debut for Beijing Guoan in a CSL derby with Beijing Renhe on Saturday. Guoan won 1-0.

Before the game, Yennaris sang the national anthem with  other Chinese players. 

"I've been learning this for the last few months since I knew I was coming here [to China]. I started to learn because it is very important," Yennaris said in a post-match interview on sports channel PPTV. He said he had learnt the words from a teacher. 

Yennaris, whose father is Cypriot and mother is Chinese, came through the Arsenal youth academy. He was granted Chinese citizenship in February.

Like Yennaris, John Hou Saeter, or Hou Yongyong, who also plays at Guoan, got his interim identity card in Beijing on February 13, becoming the first overseas soccer player to get Chinese citizenship. Hou, 21, emigrated with his parents to Norway from Central China's Henan Province when he was young. 

There is speculation that Portuguese midfielder Pedro Delgado, who plays for Shandong Luneng, will also be naturalized soon, allowing him to start playing for the CSL club. The club said that it will not comment on his case until he is able to start playing. 

China has been striving to lift its soccer level, where apart from its women's national team, it has failed to perform at high levels. Measures include school programs have been taken to boost soccer playing among children.