Sports Diplomacy

Ping Pong Diplomacy

Chinese and American table tennis players go through some practice drills before an exhibition match in Beijing in April 1971. (©Agence France Presse)

In April, 1971, an informal and friendly exchange between athletes from the United States and the People’s Republic of China table tennis teams signaled a warming of relations between the two countries and made diplomatic history. On April 6, 1971, officials from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) unexpectedly invited the American table tennis, or Ping-Pong, team to join players from other nations in a tour of their country. When the U.S. team accepted the invitation and invited the PRC team to tour the United States at a later date, journalists began to use the term, “Ping-Pong Diplomacy.”

Although official relations did not exist between the United States and the PRC at the time of the American athletes’ visit, the U.S. Department of State created and distributed an “Intelligence Brief” summarizing the implications of the PRC’s invitation. After the visit, further diplomatic approaches and negotiations paved the way for the first visit of a U.S. President, Richard M. Nixon, to China in February 1972.Diplomatic relations were established between the two countries by 1979.
(Source: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) 

◊ Ping-Pong Diplomacy Spearheaded U.S.-Chinese Relations (Significant Events in U.S. Foreign Relations 1900-2001, Electronic Journal, Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State, April 2006)

◊ Ping Pong Diplomacy: The Rematch (The Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation)

American Public Diplomacy Envoy Michelle Kwan Visits China

Michelle Kwan, left, talks to students at the Dandelion school for children of migrants in Beijing, China. (© AP Images)

I’ve always wanted to somehow serve our country, to contribute and to make a difference,” said figure skating champion Michelle Kwan who was appointed as the first American Public Diplomacy Envoy, a role in which she promotes the positive aspects of American culture and democratic principles. For her first trip in her new capacity, Kwan accompanied Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen

Hughes to China. During their trip, January 17-27, 2007, they visited the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong where they met with students, women’s groups, business and community representatives, government officials and the media.

◊ Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes and Public
Diplomacy Envoy Michelle Kwan visit Beijing (United States Embassy of Beijing, China)

◊ Michelle Kwan and Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes Visit China (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State)

◊ U.S. Olympic Skater Kwan Urges Students to Follow Their Dreams (Article by By Carolee Walker, January 18, 2007)

◊ U.S. Olympic Skater Named American Public Diplomacy Envoy (Article by Carolee Walker, November 9, 2006)

American Public Diplomacy Envoy Cal Ripken Jr. Visits China

American Public Diplomacy Envoy Cal Ripken Jr. withstudents at the Fu Peng Migrant School in China

In his first trip as an American Public Diplomacy Envoy, Cal Ripken Jr. conducted a four city, eight day whirlwind visit to China October 28 - November 6, 2007. During the visit, Ripken conducted eleven baseball clinics for 800 Chinese youth and 200 baseball coaches, met with officials of the Chinese Baseball Association and the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, toured the new Olympic baseball stadium Wukesong and gave countless interviews to the Chinese and international press.

In his first trip as an American Public Diplomacy Envoy, Cal Ripken Jr. conducted a four city, eight day whirlwind visit to China October 28 - November 6, 2007. During the visit, Ripken conducted eleven baseball clinics for 800 Chinese youth and 200 baseball coaches, met with officials of the Chinese Baseball Association and the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, toured the new Olympic baseball stadium Wukesong and gave countless interviews to the Chinese and international press.

◊ Cal Ripken Jr. MVP for Public Diplomacy (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State)