Three years ago, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Museum and the Chinese Table Tennis Museum were officially opened in Shanghai. That was the first time an international individual sports organization's museum was established outside its headquarters, in this case Lausanne. From that city in Switzerland to Shanghai China, the museum not only carries the mission of promoting table tennis to the world, but also witnesses the connection and friendship among table tennis players and fans from across the world. On April 10, 2021, the museum hosted a friendly ping-pong match between China and the US, when American expats in Shanghai paired with students from the Shanghai University of Sport in mixed doubles, continuing the Sino-US “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” between the two countries.

“As a ping-ponger, we are privileged to be able to contribute what we can to promoting the friendship between China and the United States and deepening the understanding of the two peoples,” said Shi Zhihao, former vice president of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and director of the ITTF Museum.

(Former vice president of ITTF Shi Zhihao plays ping-pong with Jeffrey Lehman, vice chancellor of NYU Shanghai, at a friendly match on April 10, 2021.)

Recently, table tennis players from China and the US teamed up in mixed doubles at the World Table Tennis Championships finals. Light was shed on the young athletes from both countries and the championships attracted much attention. “Chinese and American peoples share the same feelings,” said Shi Zhihao, who believes that on the premise of mutual respect, cooperation will bring win-win results.

“The small ball unites us together. Regardless of our history and culture, we [Chinese and US players] have the same goal when playing the matches. We improve together,” said He Jiaqi, a sophomore at the China Table Tennis College of the Shanghai University of Sport. She was taking heed of the mixed doubles at the WTTC.

As a participating student at the China-US friendly ping-pong match on April 10, she was then on a team with some American expats working in Shanghai. They spent three weeks preparing for the match, during which their cooperation with each other became better. “We can understand each other with just a simple look and gesture. This makes me more convinced of the charm of sport. Sport is the language that connects the world!”

(He Jiaqi [mid] and her teammates)

Zhuang Jiahe, a senior at the China Table Tennis College was on another team named “Flying Tigers”. Her partner at the friendly match was Mr. Yas, a US architect. They enjoyed the training and the match and the team was very united. During the match, they cheered for each other. After that, the US team members sent their Chinese partners a badge of the team as a gift.

(Zhuang Jiahe [left] takes a picture with her partner Yas.)

(A badge of the “Flying Tigers”)

“Ping-pong is a sport. Through it, we quickly blend, become friends, and have better communication, regardless of our nationality. I think this is the charm of table tennis," commented Zhuang. As a sports person and a table tennis player, she said she has the responsibility and obligation to promote the better development of table tennis and use table tennis as a medium to make friends with people from other countries, while encouraging more people to participate in the sport.

50 years ago, the China-US "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" took table tennis far beyond the scope of a competitive sport. 50 years on, the spirit of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" lives on. As members of a new generation of Chinese table tennis players, both He Jiaqi and Zhuang Jiahe said: "It is an honor to witness the next 50 years of 'Ping-Pong Diplomacy'."

(Photos provided by the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Shanghai University of Sport)