Ping-Pong Diplomacy

Blending statecraft and sport, table tennis matches between American and Chinese athletes set the stage for Nixon's breakthrough with the People's Republic

  • By David A. DeVoss
  • Smithsonian magazine, April 2002, Subscribe
 

Thirty years ago: April 1972. The Cold War is entering its 26th year with no end in sight. In Vietnam, war still rages. On April 12, a Pan Am 707 lands in Detroit, Michigan, carrying the People's Republic of China's world champion table tennis team for a series of matches and tours in ten cities around the United States.

The era of Ping-Pong diplomacy had begun 12 months earlier when the American team—in Nagoya, Japan, for the World Table Tennis Championship—got a surprise invitation from their Chinese colleagues to visit the People's Republic. Time magazine called it "The ping heard round the world." And with good reason: no group of Americans had been invited to China since the Communist takeover in 1949.

Why had they been invited? The Chinese felt that by opening a door to the United States, they could put their mostly hostile neighbors on notice about a possible shift in alliances. The United States welcomed the opportunity; President Richard M. Nixon had written: "We simply cannot afford to leave China outside the family of nations."

Soon after the U.S. team's trip, Nixon, not wanting to lose momentum, secretly sent Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to Peking to arrange a Presidential visit to China. Nixon's journey seven months later, in February 1972, would become one of the most important events in U.S. postwar history. "Never before in history has a sport been used so effectively as a tool of international diplomacy," said Chinese Premier Chou En-lai. For Nixon, it was "the week that changed the world."

In February 2002, President George W. Bush, in his second trip to China, recalled the meeting that came out of Ping-Pong diplomacy, telling President Jiang Zemin: "Thirty years ago this week, President Richard Nixon showed the world that two vastly different governments could meet on the grounds of common interest and in a spirit of mutual respect."


Thirty years ago: April 1972. The Cold War is entering its 26th year with no end in sight. In Vietnam, war still rages. On April 12, a Pan Am 707 lands in Detroit, Michigan, carrying the People's Republic of China's world champion table tennis team for a series of matches and tours in ten cities around the United States.

The era of Ping-Pong diplomacy had begun 12 months earlier when the American team—in Nagoya, Japan, for the World Table Tennis Championship—got a surprise invitation from their Chinese colleagues to visit the People's Republic. Time magazine called it "The ping heard round the world." And with good reason: no group of Americans had been invited to China since the Communist takeover in 1949.

Why had they been invited? The Chinese felt that by opening a door to the United States, they could put their mostly hostile neighbors on notice about a possible shift in alliances. The United States welcomed the opportunity; President Richard M. Nixon had written: "We simply cannot afford to leave China outside the family of nations."

Soon after the U.S. team's trip, Nixon, not wanting to lose momentum, secretly sent Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to Peking to arrange a Presidential visit to China. Nixon's journey seven months later, in February 1972, would become one of the most important events in U.S. postwar history. "Never before in history has a sport been used so effectively as a tool of international diplomacy," said Chinese Premier Chou En-lai. For Nixon, it was "the week that changed the world."

In February 2002, President George W. Bush, in his second trip to China, recalled the meeting that came out of Ping-Pong diplomacy, telling President Jiang Zemin: "Thirty years ago this week, President Richard Nixon showed the world that two vastly different governments could meet on the grounds of common interest and in a spirit of mutual respect."

    Subscribe now for more of Smithsonian's coverage on history, science and nature.



 

Add New Comment


Name: (required)

Email: (required)

Comment:

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until Smithsonian.com has approved them. Smithsonian reserves the right not to post any comments that are unlawful, threatening, offensive, defamatory, invasive of a person's privacy, inappropriate, confidential or proprietary, political messages, product endorsements, or other content that might otherwise violate any laws or policies.

Comments (30)

+ View All Comments

Thanks! Needed this info for a school project.

Posted by Jon Doe on May 13,2013 | 05:31 PM

I HATE HISTORY WE DONT NEED IT ANYWAYS EVERY ONE FROM THAT DAY IS DEAD ANYHOW !!! THANKS BY: TASHA

Posted by Natasha blue on January 16,2013 | 12:36 PM

What is National History Day? Honestly, I can probably figure it out but I, honest to God, have never heard of it before in my life.

Posted by abelewis on April 20,2011 | 04:41 PM

Thanks! Read over it for NHD!

Posted by Jordan on March 27,2011 | 12:44 PM

WOW! REALLY HELPED US WITH OUR NATIONAL HISTORY DAY. THANKS GUYS :) IT REALLY MADE THE SUN RISE IN MY DARK HORIZON.

Posted by Jamie Morehead on February 25,2011 | 09:08 PM

Thanks guys, we really really needed this to make our "National History Day" exhibit with the theme being "Debate and Diplomacy: Successes, Failures, and Consequences". We really liked this website especially since it was easy to access from IDAHO.

--Thank-You. I will love you forever.

(P.S. Anyone in Idaho for NHD...WILL DIE!

Posted by BobbyHill, and MJ on January 25,2011 | 07:32 PM

great but um did you interview the people from china and stuff?

Posted by aaliyah on January 14,2011 | 05:30 AM

Thanks ya guys i realy needed this for my history project.

Posted by brenda on January 13,2011 | 08:52 PM

Wooow, (: Love how everyone is using this for their History Fair project. SOO MUCH HELP. I needed this as a Primary Source *thumbs up*!

Posted by Bailey on January 13,2011 | 12:57 PM

Awesome guys, thanks

Posted by cupcakes and muffins on January 13,2011 | 12:56 PM

Love It Really Need it for my History day!!!!!!

Posted by blaze frank on January 11,2011 | 03:34 PM

Great website you guys

Posted by Muffin on January 10,2011 | 10:19 AM

what is a pa AM!?

Posted by GINA on January 9,2011 | 12:24 PM

this is cool and i needed this for my history fair project too!:)

Posted by alexis on January 8,2011 | 03:40 PM



Advertisement


Advertisement

Follow Us





First Name
Last Name
Address 1
Address 2
City
State   Zip
Email


Travel with Smithsonian




Smithsonian Store