The China-U.S. Youth Table Tennis Friendship Match was held Thursday at Ningxia Gymnasium in northwest China, carrying forward the tradition of Ping-Pong Diplomacy, the 1971 exchange when U.S. table tennis players visited China and helped break the ice in bilateral relations.
The U.S. collegiate team from the Pacific Northwest, led by Judy Hoarfrost, who at 15 joined the historic 1971 delegation, paired with Ningxia University athletes to form "Team Peace" and "Team Friendship" for a friendly competition.
Hoarfrost struck the opening ball, recalling her role in the original Ping‑Pong Diplomacy visit more than five decades ago.
"It's really warm-heartening for me to be here today with our young athletes from my region of the United States. For most of them, it's their first time in China. They are learning all about Ping-Pong Diplomacy while they're here, but they're also creating Ping-Pong Diplomacy," said Hoarfrost, who is also the president and CEO of Paddle Palace Club.
For many of the American students visiting China for the first time, table tennis became their bridge to Chinese peers and a direct way to connect across cultures.
"I feel pretty good. It's been fun to play a lot of different players, so it has been a good experience. I think sports are a great way, just for younger people especially, to see one another's culture. I mean, we all have shared love of the sport, so it helps people connect with each other," said Nathanael Jaden Wilkinson, a student and athlete of Oregon State University.
"I'm really happy to have the chance to exchange and learn with the American athletes. I think sports are a great medium to bring the people of China and the United States closer - including the friendly exchanges between our younger generations. Through table tennis, through the process of learning from each other on the court, a wonderful friendship can be formed," said Lu Chang, a student and athlete of Ningxia University.
The year 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of Ping‑Pong Diplomacy, the landmark 1971 visit by a U.S. table tennis delegation that broke the ice in China‑U.S. relations and paved the way for exchanges that continue today.
Youth table tennis match carries forward Ping‑Pong Diplomacy tradition in northwest China
Youth table tennis match carries forward Ping‑Pong Diplomacy tradition in northwest China
Youth table tennis match carries forward Ping‑Pong Diplomacy tradition in northwest China
The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since Saturday evening and will not reopen until the United States lifts its naval blockade on the waterway.
In a statement carried by its official news outlet Sepah News, the IGRC said that the move came after the United States violated its commitments under the two-week ceasefire, which took effect on April 8, and failed to end its naval blockade against Iranian vessels and ports.
The IRGC Navy called on all vessels and their owners to follow official updates via its channel and VHF Channel 16, the international maritime distress, safety, and calling frequency. The statements by U.S. President Donald Trump hold no credibility in the strait and the Gulf, it added.
The IRGC warned that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Gulf or the Gulf of Oman, and any approach to the strait would be deemed "cooperation with the enemy" and targeted accordingly.
Tehran's political leadership echoed the IRGC's firm position. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran's control, revealing that during previous negotiations, Iran had firmly countered U.S. attempts to carry out minesweeping operations, which Tehran viewed as a ceasefire violation.
He said the situation had come close to conflict, but the U.S. had eventually backed off.
Calling the U.S. maritime blockade "reckless and ignorant," Ghalibaf warned that passage through the strait would certainly be restricted if Washington does not lift the blockade.
Underpinning these public announcements, Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Saturday affirmed the country's resolve to exercise control and supervision over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war is definitively ended and lasting peace is achieved in the region.
For its part, the United States pressed ahead with its own military measures.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Saturday that the U.S. military is imposing a maritime blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports and nearby coastal areas. Since the blockade began on April 13, 23 ships have complied with U.S. directions to turn around.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military is preparing in the coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing U.S. officials.
The move will enable the U.S. to take control of Iran-linked vessels around the world, including ships carrying Iranian oil that are already sailing outside the Persian Gulf and those carrying arms that could support Tehran, the report said.
Iran's IRGC says Strait of Hormuz blocked, demands end to US naval blockade
