Houston, 25 November 2021 (GNP/ TDI): Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang addressed a ceremony in Texas to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ping-Pong Diplomacy.
Ping-Pong diplomacy played a crucial role in the establishment of the bilateral relations of China and the U.S. in 1971. It is known as one of the important events in international relations.
Chinese Ambassador in his speech expressed tribute to the Chinese and the Americans who were involved in the Ping-Pong diplomacy. He also expressed gratitude to Henry Kessinger for his historical role in the development of Sino-US relations. He also thanked the Table Tennis athletes of the two countries for playing an important role in melting the frozen relations.
Ping-Pong Diplomacy an important event in International Relations
Qin mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping declared Ping-Pong diplomacy as an important event in the reopening and development of Sino-US relations in his virtual meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.
He emphasized the role of the Chinese and U.S. leaders Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Richard Nixon, and Henry Kissinger in the peak Cold War time to end confrontation between the two sides. The normalization of the Sino-US relations changed the international political landscape, he added.
He stated that China and the U.S. are facing huge challenges in their relations. The two countries need to follow Ping-Pong diplomacy to defeat the challenges in their ties.
Qin also highlighted the remaking of the Ping-Pong diplomacy in the World Table Tennis Championship in Houston where Chinese and U.S players will mix to team up in the mixed double competition.
He said that the two countries still need small ping pong balls to move their relations forward. Chinese Ambassador thanked National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and national table tennis associations of the two countries for organizing such an event to strengthen the bilateral relation. He wished the best of luck to the two teams participating in the World Table Tennis Championship.