Ping-Pong Diplomacy anniversary celebrated in special Shanghai university class

About 200 students and faculty members from Shanghai University of Sport attended a special class dedicated to commemorating the 50th anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy between China and the United States at the International Table Tennis Federation Museum and China Table Tennis Museum on Tuesday night in Shanghai.

The class started with a visit to an ongoing exhibition at the museum that commemorates the historic event, which saw 15 members of the US table tennis delegation visit China in 1971 after participating in the 31st World Championships. The trip paved the way for the re-establishment of Sino-US relations that had been suspended for 22 years. The event became known as Ping-Pong Diplomacy.

After the visit, students sat down for several lectures given by a veteran ping-pong athlete, a professor and a student representative, among others. The lectures adopted the theme of "Friendship First, Competition Second", which was championed by both sides during the 1971 trip.