A commemorative event marking the 55th anniversary of the China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy was held in Beijing on Friday.
Themed "One World, One Table -- Shared Success and Win-Win Cooperation," the event revisited the historic moment of "the little ball moving the big ball," celebrated the longstanding tradition of the people-to-people friendship between China and the United States, and promoted the continued deepening of sports and cultural exchanges among young people from both countries.
It brought together over 500 participants, including representatives from the Chinese and U.S. governments and institutions, international organizations, witnesses of the Ping-Pong Diplomacy, renowned sports figures, media representatives, and young people from both sides.
Speakers included Shen Haixiong, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and president of the China Media Group (CMG), Gao Zhidan, director of China's General Administration of Sport (GAS), Yang Wanming, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Jan Berris, vice president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and Petra Sorling, president of the International Table Tennis Federation delivered their speeches, respectively, at the event.
Witnesses of the Ping-Pong Diplomacy, including former players Liang Geliang and Zheng Minzhi from China, and Connie Sweeris and Judy Hoarfrost from the United States, reflected on their enduring friendship developed over the past 55 years.
A documentary titled "The Silver Ball, A Journey Beyond," commemorating U.S.-China sports and cultural exchanges and produced by CMG, was released at the event.
The launch of the China-U.S. Youth Sports Exchange Events was also held during the event.
The event was co-hosted by the GAS, the CMG, the CPAFFC, the Chinese Table Tennis Association, USA Table Tennis, the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association, and the Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
In April 1971, a U.S. Table Tennis team delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades. The trip was the beginning of what became known as the Ping-Pong Diplomacy, and helped lay the groundwork for the establishment of official diplomatic relations between China and the United States.
Commemoration marking 55th anniversary of China-US Ping-Pong Diplomacy held in Beijing
