China tells US it wants more cooperation as it marks 50th anniversary of ‘ping pong diplomacy’
- Ambassador to Washington Cui Tiankai says the two countries should revive the spirit of mutual respect that categorised the 1971 exchange
- US team’s trip to China helped pave the way for Richard Nixon’s landmark visit the following year
The two countries had had no diplomatic or economic relations for more than two decades since the establishment of the People’s Republic and the outbreak of the Korean war.
But the invitation came at a fortuitous time, with China at odds with the Soviet Union and US president Richard Nixon trying to end his country’s involvement in Vietnam, an area where he hoped Beijing could exert its influence.
“The two sides should inherit and carry forward the ping pong diplomacy spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving differences,” Cui said in a video address on Saturday.
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The Chinese diplomat also criticised those on the US side who were “obsessed with ideological bias and zero-sum thinking”, which prevented cultural exchanges between the two countries.
The Biden administration has consistently characterised the relationship as a “competition” and the two countries have continued to jostle over Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and technology development.
Shanghai commemorated the anniversary by unveiling exhibitions at two table tennis museums, with eight Chinese athletes who took part in the 1971 games attending the opening ceremony, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Zhang Xielin, 81, a former table tennis champion who went on to become a high-profile coach and sports administrator, said that friendship throughout the generations was the wish of both the Chinese and American people, according to the report.
“I hope that through the commemorative activities for the 50th anniversary, we can remember that history, and continue the cultural exchange and friendship between the people of the two countries,” Zhang said.
The 1971 visit saw nine American athletes, four officials and two spouses cross into mainland China from Hong Kong.
The team spent six days meeting Chinese officials such as premier Zhou Enlai, playing matches and visiting tourist attractions such as the Great Wall and the Summer Palace.
The visit paved the way for Nixon’s visit the following year, where the two sides agreed to work towards the normalisation of relations – a decision that culminated in the establishment of formal diplomatic ties in 1979.