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Young people go back to Ping-Pong Diplomacy
Abdullah Aljerjawi enthusiastically clenched his fist, celebrating a successful point with his table tennis partner Tao Chang during the US-China Youth Ping-Pong Exchange held at Tsinghua University in Beijing on January 6, 2024. The mixed doubles players, meeting for the first time just half an hour before their game, secured four wins out of five.
Aljerjawi, a University of Virginia undergraduate, and Tao, from Tsinghua University, participated in the first China-US youth table tennis exchange since 2019. Liang Geliang, present at the event and a witness to the historic China-US Ping-Pong Diplomacy in 1971, emphasized the role of ping-pong in fostering mutual learning and exchange. He recalled how a chance encounter between US table tennis player Glenn Cowan and the Chinese team led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US in 1979.
Stephen Mull, Vice-Provost for Global Affairs at the University of Virginia, led a group of 12 undergraduates on a nine-day visit to China. The aim was to create opportunities for young people from both countries to build connections through friendly ping-pong competition. The group’s journey began in Hong Kong, retracing the steps of the US table tennis players in 1971, and will continue with a high-speed train to Shanghai.
Amidst current disagreements between the US and China, Mull emphasized the importance of finding common ground, citing people-to-people exchanges as a crucial avenue for fostering understanding and friendship.
During their November meeting in San Francisco, President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden emphasized the significance of people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States. Xi expressed China’s hope to welcome 50,000 young Americans for exchange and study programs over the next five years.
Misa Layne, a participant from the University of Virginia, highlighted the aim of building people-to-people relations, following the leaders’ initiative. Born in Beijing to a US diplomat, Layne returned to China for the first time since leaving in 2010, eager to share her experiences with her UVA peers.
Layne admitted her limited knowledge of Ping-Pong Diplomacy history before the exchange trip, finding the experience enlightening and hoping to encourage more UVA students to explore exchanges with China in the future.
Abdullah Aljerjawi, the only delegate with no previous ties to China, applied for the program driven by his passion for table tennis, despite concerns from friends due to US-China tensions. Aljerjawi, not knowing Chinese, discovered that the language of table tennis provided a unique way to connect with others.
He emphasized that sports, particularly ping-pong, serve as a universal language, bringing people together at the table. Aljerjawi remains open to the experience, appreciating the beauty of China and its ancient culture.
