PING PONG

DIPLOMACY
Represented By: Dilawar Rizwan Cheema
PING PONG DIPLOMACY
 Ping-pong diplomacy refers to the exchange of
table tennis (ping-pong) players between the
United States (US) and People's Republic of China
(PRC) in the early 1970s.
 Champion ship held in Nagoya (Japan), players
between Glenn Cowan (of the US) and Zhuang
Zedong (of the PRC).
 This event paved the way for President Nixon visit
to Beijing in 1972 and has been seen as a key
turning point in relation between US and PCR.
BACKGROUND
 Relation between US and China had been clouded
by cold war propaganda US.
 US enforced an economic containment policy
including an embargo on the PRC, following its
entry into the Korean War in 1950.
 After approximately 20 years of neither diplomatic
nor economic relations, both countries finally saw
an advantage in opening up to each other.
 China viewed closer relations with the US as a
beneficial counter to its increasingly tense
relationship with the Soviet Union. which had seen
the outbreak of a series of bloody border incidents.
 While the U.S. sought closer relations with China
as leverage in its peace negotiations with North
Vietnam.
PING PONG BREAKTHROUGH
 In 1971 Chinese players had arrived at championships
with strict orders to avoid contact with the Americans.
 But upon learning of the gift exchange, Chairman
Mao took it as a political opportunity. “Zhang Zedong
is not just a good table tennis player,” he observed,
“he’s a good diplomat as well.”
 A few days later, as the U.S. team was preparing to
leave Nagoya, Mao shocked the world by inviting
them to make an all-expense paid visit to China.
 President Nixon later wrote in his memoirs. “I had
never expected that the China initiative would
come to fruition in the form of a ping-pong team.”
 U.S. team spent 10-days traveling through
Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai and taking in
the sights and sounds of the People’s Republic.
 The U.S. players were treated like visiting
dignitaries and lavished with banquets and meals.
 U.S. players also participated in a series of
exhibition ping-pong matches held under the
slogan “Friendship First and Competition Second.”
 Chinese competitor Zheng Minzhi told the New
York Times, “but more important, to achieve what
cannot be achieved through proper diplomatic
channels.”
 The American trip culminated at Beijing’s Great
Hall of the People.
 Where Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai congratulated
the players on opening “a new chapter in the
relations of the American and Chinese people”.
 President Nixon had announced that the United
States was easing its travel bans and trade
embargos against China.
SUCCESS OF PING PONG
DIPLOMACY
• Ping-pong diplomacy was successful and resulted in
opening the U.S-PRC relationship.
• U.S lift the embargo against China on June 10, 1971.
• In response to the American trip, Chinese sent their
table tennis team to the US.
• Richard Nixon visited China in 1972. During visit
Shanghai Communique was issued between the U.S.
and the PRC. The Communique noted that both
nations would work towards the normalization of their
relations.
Thank You