Mayor Lee Celebrates 40 Years of Ping Pong Diplomacy
Chinese Delegation of Original Players & Current Table Tennis Champions Join Mayor in Celebrating U.S.-China Relations
07/05/11—Mayor Edwin M. Lee today celebrated the 40th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy, which led to President Richard Nixon’s historic trip to China in 1972 and the re-opening of the People’s Republic of China to the U.S. The game of table tennis provided the diplomatic platform to open the doors and create strong ties between the two countries.
“Through the sport of table tennis, the whole world changed,” said Mayor Lee. “Ping Pong Diplomacy provided a way to open the doors of the world’s largest country to the world’s most powerful nation. We are delighted, and honored, to welcome the delegation from China to the San Francisco to celebrate our shared prosperity and success in the world economy.”
Mayor Lee welcomed a Chinese delegation of table tennis Olympians and sports officials, including members of the team who played in the original matches in 1971. The commerce, trade, cultural exchanges and business activity between the U.S. and China today – the most important bilateral relationship in the world – are a result of Ping Pong Diplomacy.
The Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC) has partnered with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Consulate General of China organized several Bay Area events to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy.
BASOC has also organized a forum on Sport and Diplomacy, a coaches’ clinic, and an exhibition match at Stanford’s Maples Pavilion. For more information, go to www.basoc.org.
07/05/11—Mayor Edwin M. Lee today celebrated the 40th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy, which led to President Richard Nixon’s historic trip to China in 1972 and the re-opening of the People’s Republic of China to the U.S. The game of table tennis provided the diplomatic platform to open the doors and create strong ties between the two countries.
“Through the sport of table tennis, the whole world changed,” said Mayor Lee. “Ping Pong Diplomacy provided a way to open the doors of the world’s largest country to the world’s most powerful nation. We are delighted, and honored, to welcome the delegation from China to the San Francisco to celebrate our shared prosperity and success in the world economy.”
Mayor Lee welcomed a Chinese delegation of table tennis Olympians and sports officials, including members of the team who played in the original matches in 1971. The commerce, trade, cultural exchanges and business activity between the U.S. and China today – the most important bilateral relationship in the world – are a result of Ping Pong Diplomacy.
The Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC) has partnered with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Consulate General of China organized several Bay Area events to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy.
BASOC has also organized a forum on Sport and Diplomacy, a coaches’ clinic, and an exhibition match at Stanford’s Maples Pavilion. For more information, go to www.basoc.org.