HARMONY of DIVERSE FREQUENCIES Politics May Divide but People-To-People Bonds Unite

OPINION: COVID-19 ORIGIN-TRACING MUST BE FAIR P.26 | CULTURE: SHIELD FOR HERITAGE P.44

VOL.64 NO.14 APRIL 8, 2021 WWW.BJREVIEW.COM

HARMONY OF DIVERSE FREQUENCIES Politics may divide but people-to-people bonds unite

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CONTENTS EDITOR’S DESK OPINION FEATURES 02 The Power of Ping-Pong 26 COVID-19 Origin-Tracing 30 Legislative Changes Diplomacy Should Be About Science, Hong Kong Basic Law annexes amended Not Politics 32 Curtains of Cotton THIS WEEK Joint WHO-China study debunks Western allegations Accusations of forced labor in Xinjiang rebutted COVER STORY 27 Anti-Asian Hate Did Not Begin 36 Counting the Benefits 12 The Ping Is Still Heard With Trump China steps up preparations for RCEP The little ball’s role in bringing Community fights back after 38 Grow With the Snow the big ball together Atlanta killings Beijing 2022 nurtures new skills 18 Our Shared Cultural 28 An International Platform 40 Survival of the Fittest Legacy Of Consumption How a unique publishing project Online teaching needs to restrategize post-COVID-19 New expo in Hainan to promote united China-U.S. culturati opening up CULTURE 22 Filling the Language Gap 44 Invincible Against Time and Tide An American teacher’s perceptions in China Technology boosts preservation of cultural heritage 23 Respecting Differences 46 Fly Me to the Moon A Chinese student’s experiences Space program explained in the U.S. FORUM 48 What Role Can an Individual Pension System Play? Cover Design: Wang Yajuan

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A News Weekly Magazine The Power of Ping-Pong Diplomacy Published Since 1958 Fifty years ago, when the People’s coexistence of two different frequencies, it Republic of China (PRC) and the United will contribute to the development of global President: Li Yafang Associate Editor in Chief: Li Jianguo States had not yet established diplomatic civilizations and human welfare. Associate President: Yan Ying relations but were keen to do so, a tiny However, the United States began to

Executive Editor: Yan Wei table tennis ball created the first friendly regard China’s rise on the global stage as a Associate Executive Editors: Zan Jifang, Liu Yunyun, Ding Ying people-to-people link since the founding challenge. Unfounded accusations and ef- Production Director: Yao Bin Editorial Administrators: Zeng Wenhui, Hou Beibei of the PRC in 1949. forts to suppress China and maintain U.S. Assistant Executive Editor: Li Fangfang Fifteen Americans, including nine hegemony have strained China-U.S. rela- Commentator: Lan Xinzhen Editors: Wang Hairong, Li Nan players and officials, as well as a team tions and the 50-year relationship is now Editorial Consultants: Sudeshna Sarkar, Madhusudan Chaubey of journalists from the United States, ar- going through a dark phase. Reporters: Tang Yuankai, Wang Jun, Pan Xiaoqiao, Yuan Yuan, Ji Jing, Lu Yan, Wen Qing, Li Qing, Li Xiaoyang, Ma Miaomiao, rived in China in April 1971 to take part It’s therefore a good time to recall the Zhang Shasha, Tao Xing, Tao Zihui in exhibition matches, opening the door spirit of ping-pong diplomacy once again. Visual Director: Pamela Tobey Photo Editor: Wang Xiang to friendly exchanges between the two An important achievement of the Photographer: Wei Yao major powers in the eastern and western ping-pong diplomacy is that it created a Art: Li Shigong Design Director: Wang Yajuan hemispheres. successful model of promoting exchanges Chief Designer: Cui Xiaodong It also paved the way for then U.S. and reconciliation between nations through Designer: Zhao Boyu Proofreading: Ma Xin President Richard Nixon’s visit to China in friendship between their people. Despite

Human Resources: Zhang Yajie 1972, followed by the establishment of for- some deterioration, the China-U.S. relation- Legal Counsel: Yue Cheng mal diplomatic ties between the PRC and ship is still much better than what it was North America Bureau the United States seven years later. five decades ago, and their citizens are bet- Chief: Yu Shujun Tel/Fax: 1-201-792-0334 Since then, frequent trade, culture, ter placed today to be friends. E-mail: [email protected] education and people-to-people exchanges Though a handful of U.S. politicians Africa Bureau Chief Correspondent: Ni Yanshuo have forged a community across the Pacific have been clamoring for the decoupling Tel: 27-71-6132053 that has shared win-win cooperation and of the two economies, the vast majority of E-mail: [email protected] mutual benefits. Chinese and Americans do not agree with General Editorial Office Tel: 86-10-68996252 Occasional friction is inevitable when them. It is also not feasible in today’s age Fax: 86-10-68326628 two countries have different systems, values of globalization, when all economies are English Edition Tel: 86-10-68996250 and histories. But what is more important deeply intertwined. Advertising Department is to seek common ground while reserving The wheel of history cannot be re- Tel: 86-10-68995807 E-mail: [email protected] or respecting differences to conduct state- versed. China and the U.S. need to be on Distribution Department to-state relations. If there is harmony and board again. BR Tel: 86-10-68310644 E-mail: [email protected]

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A GLOBAL INVITATION China’s 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) Tianyan is under maintenance in Guizhou Province on March 28. The world’s most sensitive radio telescope will have its observation time partially available to global scientists from August 1 onward, with online reservations having started on March 31, according to the National Astronomical Observatories of China. After the collapse of the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico last December, FAST is now the leading radio telescope in the world. Located in a naturally deep and round karst depression in southwest China, it came into operation on January 11, 2020, and has since identified over 300 pulsars. http://www.bjreview.com APRIL 8, 2021 BEIJING REVIEW 3 THIS WEEK SOCIETY XINHUA The project will col- laborate with the United Nations Environment Program and the Alliance of International Science Organization in establishing a database for dryland ecosystem management. Crime Crackdown China has achieved significant results in its national crackdown on gang-related crime, with more than 3,600 mafia-like groups arrested over the past three years, 1.3 times the total of arrests made in the previous decade, Xinhua News Agency reported on March 28. Additionally, a further 89,742 cases involving gang crime-related corruption and “protective umbrellas” that shield gangs were handled nationwide, according to official statistics. In the past three years, New Journey Chinese courts have concluded A cargo train is ready to leave Changsha, Hunan Province, for Hanoi, the capital of Viet Nam, on March 31. 32,943 gang-related first instance On that day, a new freight train service linking Hunan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was cases, involving more than launched. 220,000 suspects. A total of 53,405 defendants in connected cases were given sentences ranging from no less than five- year imprisonment to the death ramp up the country’s capacity management of global arid penalty. TCM Center for rapid response, prevention, areas. China plans to build a major Ever since China first control, and treatment in the face Fu Bojie, chief scientist of the launched its campaign targeting center at the national level project and academician at the of new or emerging infectious gang crime in 2018, the country focusing on the use of traditional CAS, said there is a lack of long- diseases and other major public has strived to fight this type of Chinese medicine (TCM) in epi- term monitoring data for dryland health events by applying TCM, crime through a series of actions, demic prevention and treatment, areas, especially those located in Sun said. including but not limited to the sources with the top economic some developing countries. adoption of legal policies and planner said on March 29. Sandstorms are closely the creation of a tip-off platform. Sun Zhicheng, a senior Dryland Research related to land degradation, According to a poll con- official with the social develop- A global dryland research Fu said, adding that the project ducted by the National Bureau ment department of the National project overseen by Chinese will help restore the ecosystem of Statistics in the first half of Development and Reform researchers will serve as a and facilitate sandstorm source 2020, 95.1 percent of the Chinese Commission, said at a press reference for sandstorm source control. people are satisfied with the conference that the center will control, according to the Chinese Through this project, local results of the country’s special be tasked with building a talent Academy of Sciences (CAS). and global researchers have pool, formulating technical pro- The Global Dryland jointly formulated standards for campaign. tocols for epidemic prevention Ecosystem Program (Global- global observation and research and treatment, conducting TCM DEP), initiated by the CAS, on dryland areas, as well as car- Back to Nature therapy research and stockpiling published a series of research ried out case studies of dryland Over 3,000 captive-bred stur- relevant medical supplies. results on March 29, providing ecosystem protection in different geons were released into the The center is expected to a roadmap for the research and regions. middle reaches of the Yangtze

4 BEIJING REVIEW APRIL 8, 2021 http://www.bjreview.com THIS WEEK XINHUA River on March 28 to revive the memorial hall on the historic wild population of the endan- movement to end serfdom 62 gered Chinese sturgeon and years ago. Dabry’s sturgeon. On March 28, 1959, the The release of 2,020 Chinese Communist Party of China (CPC) sturgeons and 1,000 Dabry’s led the people of Tibet to launch sturgeons took place in the city democratic reform, abolishing of Jingzhou, Hubei Province. Tibet’s theocratic feudal serfdom. In recent years, China has In 2009, the regional legisla- stepped up efforts to rescue the ture announced March 28 as Dabry’s sturgeon and other en- the day to commemorate the dangered fish species in the river, emancipation of 1 million serfs. such as the Chinese sturgeon, The memorial hall displays Wei Qi of the Chinese Academy both photos and items from the of Fishery Sciences that jointly serfdom era, including torture launched the event, said. instruments and ritual artifacts Dabry’s sturgeon, also made from serfs’ bones and skin, known as the Yangtze sturgeon, as well as those recording the has lost its natural ability to democratic reform and serfs’ new reproduce since 2000 due to lives. overfishing and overcrowding “We hope the display can In Full Blossom on the river, among others. help visitors better understand Tourists take photos during the 19th peach blossom festival in Nicknamed “aquatic pandas,” Tibet’s past and present, remem- Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 28. Chinese sturgeons are thought ber history and cherish today’s to have existed for more than good life,” Li Hua, an employee 140 million years. The size of at the hall, said. their population in the Yangtze, however, plummeted in the late Figure Skating the world championships, while In the men’s competition, 20th century due to intrusive China secured five spots for the Peng Cheng and Jin Yang came veteran Yan Han obtained 13th human activity. Olympic and Paralympic Winter in fifth, both qualifying for the place, qualifying for Beijing According to Wei, about 7 Games Beijing 2022 after achiev- Beijing Games. China still has a 2022, while two-time world million captive-bred Chinese ing good results at the Figure chance to take one more spot bronze medalist Jin Boyang sturgeons have been released Skating World Championships, in pairs at the 2021 Nebelhorn failed to secure another spot, into the Yangtze River since 1983. which concluded in Stockholm Trophy. finishing in 22nd place. on March 27. Chen Hongyi finished 21st The 10 Olympic places for Memorial Hall China’s PyeongChang in the women’s event, and Wang the team event will be deter- Tibet Autonomous Region Olympic runners-up Sui Wenjing Shiyue and Liu Xinyu took 13th mined at the 2021-22 Grand Prix on March 28 opened its first and Han Cong took silver at place in ice dance. Series. XINHUA

New Cub A breeder takes care of a baby sloth at the Hefei aquarium in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, on March 30. The sloth, born on February 27 this year, was shown to the public after being reared privately for one month. It is the first naturally born sloth in an artificial feeding environment in Anhui.

http://www.bjreview.com APRIL 8, 2021 BEIJING REVIEW 5 THIS WEEK ECONOMY

forward to the phased addition Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, effective and operationally ready Bond Inclusion of Chinese government bonds to Japan and the Republic of Korea for member economies, accord- FTSE Russell, a global multi-asset the WGBI.” (ASEAN+3) and the Monetary ing to the PBC. index provider, confirmed on During the semi-annual Authority of China’s Hong Kong March 30 that Chinese govern- index review in March, FTSE Special Administrative Region. ment bonds are to be included SOE Profits Russell added China A Shares to The amended agreement in the FTSE World Government State-owned enterprises (SOEs) the FTSE Mandatory Provident institutionalizes the use of mem- Bond Index (WGBI) at the end of registered robust growth in the Fund (MPF) Index Series, the core bers’ local currencies in addition October. first two months of the year equity benchmarks used by the to the U.S. dollar, for CMIM According to a statement despite low base effects, the MPF industry, for the first time. by the company, China’s WGBI financing on a voluntary and Ministry of Finance (MOF) said FTSE Russell is a wholly inclusion will occur over a period demand-driven basis, the PBC on March 30. owned subsidiary of London of 36 months to ensure an or- said in a statement. The combined profits of Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) derly transition for markets and The amendment increases SOEs rose 150 percent year on and is a unit of LSEG’s informa- investors. the International Monetary year to 548.94 billion yuan tion services division. “This confirmation is based Fund de-linked portion from 30 ($83.92 billion) during the on affirmation with members percent to 40 percent of each January-February period, MOF of the FTSE Russell advisory CMIM Amendment member’s maximum arrange- data showed. committees and other index The amended Chiang Mai ment amount, the statement said, The growth rate offsetting users that ongoing reforms to Initiative Multilateralization adding that it also addressed base effects came in at 10.2 per- the Chinese government bond (CMIM) agreement, a regional other technical issues, including cent. This refers to the two-year market warrant inclusion in the financing deal, came into effect revisions related to the London average growth rate based on WGBI,” the statement said. on March 31, according to the Interbank Offered Rate reform. the figure from the same period Chris Woods, head of policy People’s Bank of China (PBC), The new deal serves to in 2019, due to a low comparison and governance at FTSE Russell, the central bank. further enhance the CMIM, base last year, the ministry said. said, “We commend China on The CMIM agreement is which is an essential part of the SOEs saw their total revenue the great progress it has made jointly signed by member states regional financial safety net of surge 33.7 percent year on year in market reforms and look of the Association of Southeast the ASEAN+3, making it more to over 10.19 trillion yuan ($1.5

NUMBERS ($1=6.5 yuan) Industrial Enterprises’ Profit by Business Type Industrial Enterprises’ Growth by Business Type January-February (bln yuan) January-February (% y.o.y.)

776.25 250 800 219 A State-holding enterprises 700 B Shareholding corporations Foreign-, Hong Kong-, Macao- 200 182 C 600 and Taiwan-funded 169 D Privately owned 500 150 137

400 375.22 314.52 331.69 100 300

200 50 100

0 0 A B C D A B C D

6 BEIJING REVIEW APRIL 8, 2021 http://www.bjreview.comhttp://www.bjreview.com THIS WEEK trillion) in the two months, an points from the previous quarter. By the end of 2020, China’s sulfur dioxide and nitrogen 8.2-percent growth offsetting Entrepreneurs also showed net external financial assets oxide by about 1.79 billion tons, base effects. greater enthusiasm for China’s stood at $2.15 trillion. 864,000 tons and 798,000 tons, SOEs’ debt-to-asset ratio economic development, accord- respectively. came in at 64.3 percent at the ing to the PBC’s entrepreneur Renewable Energy Power generated by renew- end of February, flat with the survey report. The installed capacity of renewable energy sources hit 2.2 level seen during the same In Q1, the entrepreneur mac- able energy power generation trillion kWh in China last year, period of last year. roeconomic heat index stood at totaled 930 million kw by the accounting for 29.5 percent of 38.9 percent, up 4.5 percentage end of 2020, accounting for the total electricity consumption, Loan Demands points from Q4 and up 26.5 per- 42.4 percent of the national up 9.5 percentage points from The overall loan demand index centage points from the same total, Zhang Jianhua, head of the 2012, he said. hit 77.5 percent in the first quarter period last year, the report said. National Energy Administration, Zhang added that more of the year (Q1), up 5.9 percent- told a press conference on efforts will be made to accelerate age points from the fourth CA Surplus March 30. wind and solar power generation, quarter of 2020 (Q4), a report by China reported a current account China’s installed capacity enhance hydropower generation the PBC showed. (CA) surplus of $274 billion in of hydropower generation has according to local conditions The Q1 loan demand sub- 2020 as the economy recovered ranked first globally for 16 con- and actively promote the orderly indices for the sectors including amid effective epidemic control, secutive years, while its installed generation of nuclear power manufacturing, infrastructure according to data released by capacity for wind and photovol- while ensuring safety. and wholesale and retail all rose the State Administration of taic power generation has led the Meanwhile, stricter energy from the Q4 levels, according to Foreign Exchange on March 26. world for 11 and six consecutive consumption standards will be the PBC’s banker survey report. Trade in goods posted a sur- years, respectively, Zhang said. adopted to support and promote It showed increased confi- plus of $515 billion, while trade Last year, renewable energy the use of non-fossil energy and dence among bankers in China’s in services saw a deficit of $145.3 use came in at 680 million tons change energy use in key sec- economy in Q1, with their mac- billion. The capital and financial of standard coal equivalent in tors and areas, such as industry, roeconomic heat index reaching account recorded a deficit of the country. This helped reduce construction and transport, he 42.4 percent, up 8.8 percentage $105.8 billion. the emissions of carbon dioxide, said.

Profit Changes for Major Sectors January-February (% y.o.y.) Industrial Enterprises’ Profit by Sector January-February (bln yuan) Automobile 2,526 Chemical raw material and product manufacturing 498 98.84 General equipment manufacturing 319 Mining Ferrous metal smelting and processing 271 Nonferrous metal smelting and processing 258 Coal mining and washing 204 Textile 143 Non-metal mineral product manufacturing 87 929.42 Agricultural byproducts and Manufacturing byproducts processing 45.8 Electricity, heat production and supply 44.7 85.74 -28.7 Petroleum and natural gas exploration Electricity, thermal, fuel gas -500 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 and water production and supply (Source: National Bureau of Statistics) http://www.bjreview.com APRIL 8, 2021 BEIJING REVIEW 7 THIS WEEK WORLD XINHUA   EGYPT SRI LANKA A ship sails through the Suez Canal President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (fourth right) on March 30. Traffic resumed in attends the handover ceremony of the the crucial marine passage after a COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese stranded cargo vessel blocking it Government at the Bandaranaike was removed on March 29 International Airport in Colombo on March 31 XINHUA  UNITED STATES A television screen broadcasts the first press conference of President Joe Biden since taking office in Washington, D.C. on March 25 XINHUA

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INDONESIA Smoke and massive fire arise from an oil refinery in Indramayu, West Java, on March 29. Three people went missing and 19 others were wounded, with a further 1,000 residents evacuated XINHUA XINHUA  UNITED KINGDOM A volunteer paints hearts on the National COVID Memorial Wall outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London on March 31 in remembrance of those who died of the epidemic

 NEW ZEALAND People watch a lion dance during the outdoor arts and music festival CubaDupa in Wellington on March 27 XINHUA

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 XIAOMI CEO DECLARES EV VENTURE

Lei Jun, CEO and founder of tech giant Xiaomi, has announced the company will now foray into the smart electric vehicle (EV) business. Xiaomi is one of the largest smartphone and consumer electronics companies in the world today. Lei, who started out with Beijing-based antivirus software company Kingsoft in 1992 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, founded Xiaomi in 2010. Xiaomi went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2018. Lei, 51, said on March 30 that entering the EV market would be his last venture. He will serve as CEO of the wholly owned new subsidiary that will have an estimated investment of $10 billion in the next 10 years. Xiaomi’s strengths like its smart ecosystem and research and development ability will boost the new business, Lei said. Protecting Consumers Guancha.gmw.cn account automatically. Then they are bom- March 29 barded with advertisements long after they Making all kinds of monetary transactions have eaten and gone. Some restaurants even by using the QR code is common in China. ask customers to provide their phone number The Lonely Economy Registrations, scanning codes and similar and address. Lifeweek digital processes have become essential for The Cyberspace Administration of China consumption. But the growing popularity and three other regulatory agencies issued a March 29 of the payment method has also brought document on March 22 to crack down on ex- With a growing number of single people in their some worries such as security issues, per- cessive collection of personal data by mobile 20s and 30s living alone in big cities, solo living sonal information leakage and unfair market apps. is becoming a common phenomenon. competition. The local governments should improve With the development of urbanization, Take restaurant ordering, for example. the legal system to protect consumers’ per- the rise of individualism and improvement in Customers who want to order food at a res- sonal information, and increase penalties for women’s status, living alone has become a new taurant are asked to scan a code, which makes restaurants illegally collecting and using such normal worldwide. The trend is most evident in them followers of the restaurant’s WeChat information.

“Of the many lessons learned during “Trapped in the politics of the U.S. the COVID-19 pandemic, an important bipartisan groundswell of anti-China one is that while there is any mileage sentiment, U.S. President Joe Biden’s remaining in Sinophobic narratives, team appears to be staying the course they will continue to be perpetuated by set by the previous administration, even political actors at the highest levels, upping the ante on the trade and science be damned.” technology conflict by raising human Timothy Kerswell, a researcher at the Chinese University rights and geopolitical concerns.” of Hong Kong, in an article on the CGTN website on March 31 Stephen Roach, a senior fellow at Yale University and former Chair of Morgan Stanley Asia, in an article on the China Daily website on March 30

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An Elevated Lifestyle Europe, with single-person households making Economic Daily As a measure to expand investment, up more than 40 percent of all households in March 29 the country began renovating 39,000 many countries across the European Union. old urban residential communities last Lack of elevators is a sore inconvenience The rise of living alone has been a transfor- year, supporting plumbing and wiring for people living in multistoried buildings mative social experience in China. It is playing upgrading in old residential buildings and catch-up with industrialized countries where that were mostly built in the last century. installing elevators. individuals, rather than traditional families, have Numerous elders living in buildings without The work is demanding and the gov- become the society’s building blocks. elevators are unable to climb long flights of ernment has to solve numerous disputes China’s single population has reached 240 stairs and become confined at home. over the rights and interests of different million, with more than 77 million adults living Making provisions for elevators is an parties. Recently, various localities have alone, according to statistics from the Ministry aspect of people-oriented development. issued policies and guidelines to help old of Civil Affairs. The number of adults who live Renovation of old neighborhoods and put- communities install elevators. alone is expected to rise to 92 million by 2021. ting in elevators can substantially improve More experience is needed to deal The trend, correlating with a steady decline residents’ quality of life. Besides, the pro- with people’s problems and concerns, and in marriage and the birth rates, is driven by young gram will also lead to investment and job become better at reaching an agreement people’s decision to delay or opt out of marriage opportunities. with residents during negotiations. entirely, a rising divorce rate, and a profound change in their perception of remaining single.  CHINESE PLAYER’S MAIDEN F2 VICTORY With Internet-based entertainment getting Chinese contender Zhou Guanyu started from pole position and earned his maiden wildly popular in China, today’s young people, Formula 2 feature race victory at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 28. millennials particularly, can now stay alone with- “The victory is for everyone who has been supporting me,” Zhou wrote on his Chinese out being lonely. social media account. “This is a long and tough journey but I will There are other reasons why living alone keep at it and push my limits until I reach the top.” is becoming more accepted. Single people Starting on hard tires, he was overtaken on the first corner and spend more money on eating out, hobbies and dropped to fifth place. But he narrowed the gap after he switched entertainment than their married counterparts, to soft tires and claimed the lead on turn four with only five laps contributing to a fast-growing lonely economy. remaining. However, running parallel to this is the “What a race,” Zhou said on the podium. “We kept our heads… heightened awareness of loneliness as an issue. [and I] took my chances to move forward! Just so happy!”

“[Australia] is inwardly focused and “Don’t think about national boundaries if narrow in outlook. It seeks to use the we really want to defeat pandemics. We United States as a buffer against the have to come together with other countries rest of the world, particularly Asia and to focus on how they emerge and try and China, which it fears because of stop them for the future.” enterprise and the numbers of people.” Peter Daszak, British zoologist and a member of the World Health Bruce Haigh, an Australian political commentator and Organization-China joint research team, during a briefing on the former diplomat, in an interview with Global Times team’s report on tracing the origins of COVID-19, on March 30 on March 29

http://www.bjreview.com APRIL 8, 2021 BEIJING REVIEW 11 Connie Sweeris (fourth right, second row) and her fellow players of the U.S. table tennis team visit a section of the Great Wall in Beijing on April 12, 1971 VCG

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