Ping Pong Diplomacy

Ping Pong Diplomacy: How the sport of table tennis served as a catalyst for the improvement of United States and China relations to further develop their own nation’s political gain Julia Griffin Lander University A paper presented at the South Carolina Political Science annual meeting, March 27-28, 2020. Greenwood, SC. Ping-Pong Diplomacy During the Cold War era, the United States strived to stop the spread of Communism and promoted their ideologies of Democracy. Despite American efforts, the Communist party came to power in China in 1949. The US had refused to recognize the Chinese government as the legitimate government of the country and avoided normalizing diplomatic relations with Communist powers. However, tensions between China and the USSR grew due to both countries wanting to lead the international communist movement pushing both the US and China to reconsider their strained relationship by having a common enemy (Mergel, 2018). The event that brought these two countries together through ping-pong proves how miniscule details and events can greatly impact the course of history. The sport of table tennis served as a catalyst for the improvement of United States and China relations to further develop their own nation’s political gain. According to Nicholas Griffin’s book “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” on April 5, 1971, Glenn Cowan, a young tennis player on the American team needed a ride to the world table tennis championship in Nagoya, Japan. There were two versions of how the story unfolds with the Chinese stating Cowan accidently “stumbled up the steps” of their bus while Cowan stating he was invited onto the bus with the team. Nevertheless, an American was on the bus with the Chinese tennis team which Cowan describes to be shocking for him. Even more shocking was when Zhuang Zedong, the greatest ping-pong player in China got up and walked forward and shook Cowan’s hand while giving him a lavish gift of a silk-screen picture of a Chinese mountain scene (Roberts, 2014). From what seemed like a meaningless encounter to some proved to have a huge impact on the relationship between two major countries at the time. The very next day on April 6, 1971, China invited the American ping-pong team for an all-expense visit to the People’s Republic of China. Surprisingly, four days later on April 10, nine players, four officials, and two spouses stepped across a bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland (Hodgkinson, 2019) They were the first group of Americans allowed in China since the communist takeover in 1949 (Mergel, 2018). Ping-Pong diplomacy was officially taking place. Ten journalists, including five Americans, were also invited to cover the team’s visit officially creating an end to the information blockade from the PRC. The New York Times called it, “The Ping Heard Around the World” (Devoss, 2002). From April 11-April 17 the American public followed the daily progress of the visit in the newspaper and television. They saw American and Chinese athletes compete in friendly table tennis competitions, chat with Chinese students, tour the Great Wall and attend the Canton Ballet. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) consists of over 227 member countries and territories. Part of their mission statement includes: “As an international sports federation we see it as a crucial task to put our grain of sand using our beautiful sport to create a better world.” Their statement continues and talks about promoting “peace” and “brotherhood.” (International Table Tennis Federation). They are using the sport of table tennis to unify athletes all over the world and their countries. This is exactly how the United States and China used the sport of table tennis to promote their own agendas. It was a way for both countries to use a common sport to ultimately create a positive relationship regardless of their past. Ping-Pong Diplomacy started at the World Table Tennis Championship in 1971 created by the ITTF. Primarily, China used ping-pong diplomacy as a political tool to further promote their agenda. It was used to branch out and end isolationism in their country. Although ping-pong, also known as table tennis, is not very popular in America, it is very popular in China. Because China is such a populated country, it is the perfect game because it is so compact. It can be played in rural fields or in the workplace and it is a game for the young and the elderly (Hays, 2008). China was dominant globally in the sport of ping pong and used their dominance to show off their facilities. As mentioned, on April 6, 1971, China invited the American ping-pong team for an all-expense visit to the People’s Republic of China. Leaders such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai used this invitation as one of the first steps to end China’s isolation from the global community (Mergel, 2018). In order for China to become a dominant world player, they needed to expand trade and influence on a global scale. Ping-pong was used as a way to open their boarders and spread influence to the United States. The media played a large role in the way the world, especially America, would see China as a whole. Chinese leaders made an effort to put their best selves forward in front of the press and media for diplomacy. If the American people were on board, this would put pressure on the US government to support this alliance. In order for China to become the dominant global Communist power, they had to make alliances with other powerful nations to benefit their country (Mergel, 2018). The U.S. was the perfect candidate to benefit the Chinese. Having a strong ally would solidify their dominance. It would also increase trade and boost their economy by providing jobs. This relationship would increase Chinese influence and economy making them a more dominant power. Additionally, the United States used ping-pong diplomacy as a political tool for the country. US President Richard Nixon saw better relations with the PRC as a way the USSR to assist in ending the Vietnam War as well as to negotiate on arms limitation (Ping Pong Diplomacy, 2000). North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union and other communist allies while South Vietnam was supported by the United States and other anti-communist allies. The goal was for communism to be detained and not spread to the entire country. Nixon hoped that as US and Chinese relationships grew, the USSR would feel pressured by the alliance to negotiate with the United States and hopefully end the Vietnam war (Spector, 2019). Nixon used ping-pong diplomacy to further his political campaign. Nixon believed that if the Vietnam war was to end during his first term as President that it would help his reelection campaign and solidify his position for a second term (Ping Pong Diplomacy, 2000). He had to push for more positive relationships with the US and China and the ping-pong diplomacy was the steppingstone to achieve this goal. The 1971 trip was a prelude to the Nixon’s 1972 trip to China where he became the first American President to step foot in China (Mergel, 2018). This helped further his political campaign to earn his second term as President. In conclusion, the sport of table tennis served as a catalyst for the improvement of United States and China relations to further develop their own nation’s political gain. Both the United States and China had agendas. Ping-Pong was to tool used to open doors to further these political agendas. The advantages for China consist of opening their boarders, becoming a more dominant global power, and enforcing their political Communist propaganda. For the United States, it was to end the Vietnam War, put pressure on the USSR, and for Nixon’s reelection campaign. Ping- Pong was "an apt metaphor for the relations between Washington and Peking" noted a Time reporter, as each nation signaled, in turn, its openness to change. Ping-Pong diplomacy ultimately showed the role cultural diplomacy can play in easing strains between nations (Ping Pong Diplomacy, 2000). References Devoss, D. (2002, April 1). Ping-Pong Diplomacy. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ping-pong-diplomacy-60307544/. Hays, J. (2008). TABLE TENNIS AND PING PONG DIPLOMACY IN CHINA. Retrieved from http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat12/sub77/item1015.html. Hodgkinson, M. (2019, May 31). Ping-pong diplomacy: the game that changed US-China relations. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long- reads/article/3012297/ping-pong-diplomacy-game-and-players-changed. International Table Tennis Federation . (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ittf.com/. MacMillan, M. (2008). Nixon and Mao: The Week That Changed the World. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks. Mergel, S. K. (2018, April 11). The Power of Ping-Pong: Improving the Chinese-American Relationship. Retrieved from http://werehistory.org/the-power-of-ping-pong-improving- the-chinese-american-relationship/. Ping-Pong Diplomacy. (2000). Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/china-ping-pong/. Roberts, S. V. (2014, January 24). 'Ping-pong Diplomacy: The Secret History Behind the Game That Changed the World' by Nicholas Griffin. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ping-pong-diplomacy-the-secret-history- behind-the-game-that-changed-the-world-by-nicholas-griffin/2014/01/24/03e10536-794f- 11e3-af7f-13bf0e9965f6_story.html. Shambaugh, D. L. (Ed.). (2013). Tangled Titans: The United States and China. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Spector, R. H. (2019, November 1). Vietnam War. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War.

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