Ping-Pong Diplomacy

Ping-Pong Diplomacy

"Ping-pong diplomacy" refers to a series of events involving the exchange of table tennis (ping-pong) teams between the People's Republic of China and the United States in the early 1970s. These visits initiated a thaw in Sino-US relations, and are figuratively referred to as a process whereby "a tiny ball set the whole globe in motion."

The 31st World Table Tennis Championships, held in Nagoya of Japan, in March and April 1971, provided a convenient venue for direct contact between China and the United States at a time when the two countries had no diplomatic ties. There was amicable interaction between the table tennis teams from China and the United States during the championships. Keenly sensing an opportunity for reengagement between China and the U.S., Chairman Mao Zedong extended an invitation to the U.S. table tennis team to visit China which was readily accepted by the Nixon Administration. The visit by a delegation of the USA Table Tennis (USATT) took place from April 10 to 17, 1971, and culminated in a cordial meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai. It was reciprocated by the Chinese table tennis team's visit to the U.S. on April 11, 1972.

Credited with ending a freeze of more than 20 years on personnel exchanges between the two countries, "ping-pong diplomacy" heralded a historic breakthrough in Sino-US relations, and helped propel the normalization of Sino-US relations and accelerate New China's return to the international stage.

乒乓外交

“乒乓外交”是指20世纪70时代初期中华人民共和国与美利坚合众国两国乒乓球队互访的一系列事件。它开启了中美关系缓和的步伐，被形象地比喻为“小球推动大球”。

1971年3-4月，在日本名古屋举行了第31届世界乒乓球锦标赛，为当时尚未建交的中美两国接触提供了便利条件。两国乒乓球队在比赛期间进行了友好的互动。毛泽东主席敏锐地意识到这是中美接触的一个契机，便决定邀请美国乒乓球队访华。尼克松政府很快决定接受邀请。1971年4月10日至17日，美国乒乓球协会代表团访华，受到了周恩来总理的亲切接见。1972年4月11日，中国乒乓球队回访了美国。

“乒乓外交”结束了中美两国20多年来人员交往隔绝的局面，中美和解随即取得历史性突破，推动了中美两国关系正常化的进程，加速了新中国走向世界的步伐。