Ambassador Xie Feng Speaks on the 52nd Anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy

On December 13, Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng spoke during the 52nd anniversary of ping-pong diplomacy at the Chinese Embassy in the US. Table tennis world champions Liu Wei and Ding Ning of Peking University and Vice President Fang Fang attended. In San Francisco, Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations with a successful summit.

Photo from Google

Xie Feng’s Call for Ping-Pong Diplomacy: A Path to Strengthen China-U.S. Relations

Ambassador Xie congratulated ping-pong diplomats and lauded Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai, President Richard Nixon, and Dr. Henry Kissinger 52 years ago for their strategic The recent San Francisco summit prioritized perception, conflict management, mutually beneficial collaboration, and people-to-people connections for stabilizing and growing China-U.S. relations.

Xie proposed ping-pong diplomacy for China-U.S. tensions. He emphasized accurate perception, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win collaboration to revive relations between the two countries. The ambassador recommended the U.S. to collaborate, avoid flip-flopping, and simplify bilateral relations.

He emphasized people-to-people interactions, recalling a 1971 trip where one American delegate joked about being overfed in China. To address COVID-19 and geopolitical problems, Xie advised boosting visits and connections.

READ ALSO: Xi Jinping calls on Guangxi to build modern industrial system, expand opening up for modernization drive

Xie Feng Urges Sportsmanship and Collaboration to Rebuild China-U.S. Relations

Jimmy Butler played in China’s basketball event, and Chinese and American athletes connected at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, according to Xie. Sport is about improvement, rules, fair play, openness, and inclusivity, he stated.

The ambassador acknowledged China-U.S. relations’ current crossroads and the necessity for ping-pong diplomacy’s wisdom and power to stabilize and develop relations. His suggestion was to restart bilateral relations with the San Francisco summit. China has taken steps to boost economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and Xie urged the U.S. to take similar steps.

Ambassador Xie said the presidents’ similar understandings must be executed to achieve the San Francisco goal for both countries and the world.

READ ALSO: Ambassador Xie Feng delivers remarks to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of ping-pong diplomacy