An Unforgettable Ping Pong Trip

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In our memory the famous Ping Pong Diplomacy took place in 1971. At that time the People’s Republic of China and the United States had not yet established diplomatic relations. In April that year, nine table tennis players, four technical personnel and a group of carefully-selected reporters from the U. S. were invited to visit China. They became the first batch and the only group of people to tell the world about a true China behind its door. During the visit, they participated in an exhibition match, watched a ballet performance, and toured the Great Wall and the Summer Palace. This visit softened the U. S.’ attitude towards China and paved the way for the secret visit to China by the then National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger. In the following 1972, President Richard Nixon made his official visit to China and the two big countries normalized diplomatic relations on January 1, 1979. Recalling the trip of ping pong to Beijing by the Externado University of Colombia, I can not but use the phrase “ping pong diplomacy” to describe my unforgettable experience. Of course, as Colombia and China are enjoying peaceful and friendly relations, this trip of “ping pong diplomacy” has been filled with warmth of another kind.

At the invitation of the CPAFFC, we arrived in China with excitement and great expectation on July 2 to learn about her long history, splendid culture and prosperous society. I have been a table tennis player and was the champion of the Colombia national tournament in 1993. Since childhood I had longed for a visit to China where people have bats in their hands since young and to play with the Chinese players. I did not expect that our friends in the CPAFFC specially arranged for me a table tennis match. Walking into the grand Ditan Gymnasium, the scene before my eyes moved me to tears. As meticulously arranged, leaders of the Sports Bureau of the Beijing Dongcheng District and the Beijing Municipal People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries were present at the event. A group of lovely young players demonstrated for us how they are trained. I was fortunate to pair with Ji Yongjun, director of the Division of Latin American Affairs of the CPAFFC, to form an international team and challenge the Dongcheng team. The warmth and friendliness shown to us by everyone we met made us feel at home. We reciprocated their hospitality with our national flags, vueltiao―our traditional hat, Chivas, typical dessert and our world-famous coffee we had brought with us.

In my personal experience, these words are not enough to express my surprise, joy and other indescribable feelings. Of these mixed feelings, happiness caused by the fact that my dream has come true has dominated. To play a match in China and against Chinese players, to receive award of the friendship match … All this has exceeded what an unprepared Colombian could imagine and expect.

I asked myself: Would this trip also bring more exchanges between our two countries in the future? Would life reward us because of this special trip of “ping pong diplomacy”?

Dear readers, I have witnessed this “ping pong diplomacy” between Colombia and China and I believe my companions also feel the same. “Rocio, we are friends now,” was the best gift I received from one of my competitors in the match.

(Translated from the Chinese text)