Ping-Pong Diplomacy spirit lives on

Athletes join enthusiasts at Las Vegas event to mark 54 years of friendship

Cheers and laughter filled the recreation hall of a cultural center in Las Vegas, Nevada, as Chinese and US table tennis athletes joined local enthusiasts in friendly matches on Sunday, marking the 54th anniversary of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy".

It was a day of heartfelt exchanges, organized by the Chinese Table Tennis Association and USA Table Tennis, and supported by the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco and the Nevada US China Cultural Association. The event was aimed at celebrating those iconic moments in 1971 — the first steps toward thawing relations between the two countries.

"Fifty-four years ago, a chance encounter between Chinese and American table tennis players sparked a turning point in history," Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Zhang Jianmin told the gathering.