Ping Pong Diplomacy:
A Rally For U.S.- China Relations
First Encounter in Nagoya
“我要放一个试探气球，触动一下美国感觉神经，释放气球的时机难道就在日本吗？”
（“I am going to release a tentative balloon to touch the Americans' nerves. Might it be that the good time to release the balloon is in [Nagoya] Japan?” ）
~毛泽东 (Mao Zedong), 1971
Since the early 1950's, China was economically and diplomatically isolated, hidden behind the "bamboo curtain." However, both the U.S. and Chinese table tennis teams were participants in the 1971 World Table Tennis Championship (WTTC) in Nagoya, Japan.
“我队应去，并准备死几个人，不死更好。要一不怕苦，二不怕死。”
(“My team must go. And we are prepared to die if that is what it takes, though it will be better if we don't. We should fear neither hardship nor death.”）
~毛泽东 (Mao Zedong) prior to sending the Chinese Ping Pong Team to Nagoya, 1971
Zhuang and Cowan departing the Chinese bus. Source: GlobalTimes
Due to the political climate, Chinese players were instructed to avoid interaction with American players. However, when American ping pong player Glenn Cowan incorrectly boarded the Chinese team bus, this silence could not be maintained. Senior team member Zhuang Zedong eventually welcomed Cowan
“I am glad that I had this opportunity to experience the exchange. It opened a gate for diplomacy and friendly relations between us all.”
~Liang Geliang, former China national table tennis team member
Zhuang and Cowan with their gifts. Source: XNA
Zhuang approached Cowan, shaking his hand and gifted him a silk depiction of the Huangshan Mountains. In return, Cowan presented him a shirt emblazoned with a peace symbol.
“这个庄则栋，不但打球打得好，还会办外交，而且有一个会政治的脑袋”
（“This Zhuang Zedong not only plays table tennis well, but is good at foreign affairs, and he has a mind for politics.”）
~毛泽东 (Mao Zedong), 1971
These interactions made international headlines the next day.
“电话传过去后, 日本名古屋盛传，咱们这个震动世界的消息，超过1971世界乒乓球锦标赛的消息了！”
（“After the telephone [call] reached there [Nagoya], there was the spreading in Nagoya, Japan that this world-shaking news of ours had even surpassed the news of the 1971 World Table Tennis Championships!”）
~Zhou in a report to Mao, 1971
China's leaders seized this opportunity to extend an olive branch to America. Midnight of April 6th, hours before the 1971 WTTC ends, Mao ordered: “请美国乒乓球队访问中国！”
“请美国乒乓球队访问中国！”
("Invite the US ping pong team to China!")
~毛泽东 (Mao Zedong), 1971
For the first time in decades, a U.S. delegation would enter Communist China.
“中国人邀请美国乒乓球队访华，简直相当于一次登月之旅。”
("The Chinese people inviting the US ping pong team to visit China was like landing on the moon")
~CCTV《国家记忆, 中美1972》Ep. 2, Ping Pong Diplomacy