50 Year Reunion of Australia's First Ambassador to China and Australia's Ping Pong Ambassadors

Published Mon 26 Jun 2023

23 April 1973 is the 50 year anniversary of Australia's first Ambassador to China and Australia's Ping Pong Ambassadors visiting Beijing. Dr Stephen FitzGerald, Australia's first Ambassador to China, walks towards the Chinese border at Lo Wu station. With him are Australia's Ping Pong Ambassadors Stephen Knapp and Ann McMahon, who are also visiting China - almost two years to the day (21 April 1971) after the breakthrough which started Australia on the road to recognizing China. In fact, they travelled to Beijing on the same train from Lo Wu.

The 1971 ‘Australian Ping Pong Diplomacy Tour’, where a group of five Australians travelled to China for competitions, training and cultural exchange during 21 April 1971 to 3 May 1971. After 6 years huge effort, on 23 June 2023, Vice President of Table Tennis New South Wales, Dr Michael Li, successfully arranged one meeting for Dr Stephen FitzGerald, Australia's first Ambassador to China in 1973 with the 1971 Ping Pong Diplomacy Team members and Table Tennis Australia Life Members Noel Shorter, Paul Pinkewich and Steve Knapp in Sydney. They came together to reflect and remember their extraordinary trip and their contribution to 'Ping Pong Diplomacy' in the early 1970s.

Dr Stephen FitzGerald, Noel Shorter, Paul Pinkewich and Steve Knapp are excited for their reunion after half a century, and they are looking forward to contributing to the friendships between two countries and two people.

The Director of Whitlam Institute Prof John Juriansz and the CEO of Commonwealth Games NSW Division Mr Peter Tate acknowledged Dr Michael Li's huge efforts during the past 6 years to promote the 1971 Australian Ping Pong Diplomacy Tour in both Australia and China. They congratulated the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Premier Minister Gough Whitlam visiting China and the 85th Birthday of Mr. Noel Shorter, and wished to acknowledge the role Noel Shorter, Paul Pinkewich and Steve Knapp played in the 1971 Ping Pong Diplomacy Tour to China.

Prof John Juriansz and Mr Peter Tate expressed their gratitudes to Noel Shorter, Paul Pinkewich and Steve Knapp for their contribution to the friendships between our two countries, and wished their proposed 2023 Australian Ping Pong Diplomacy Tour to China would be successful.