50th Anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy

2021 is the 50-year anniversary of the 1971 Ping Pong Diplomacy, which refers to the exchange of table tennis (ping-pong) players between the People's Republic of China (PRC), and the United States of America (USA), Australia and other countries in the early 1970s.

It began during the 1971 World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya, Japan as a result of an encounter between players Glenn Cowan (USA) and Zhuang Zedong (PRC).

The event paved the way for a visit to Beijing by Gough Whitlam as the Australian opposition leader on 3 July 1971, which was followed by the USA President Richard Nixon on 21 February 1972. The event has been marked as a key turning point in relations of countries with different backgrounds, and the policy approach has since been successfully carried out elsewhere.

Australian table tennis delegation with three players of Anne Middleton, Paul Pinkewich, Steve Knapp, one coach of Noel Shorter and the Team Manager and the President of Australian Table Tennis Association (the former name of Table Tennis Australia until 1994)  Dr John Jackson arrived at Beijing and played at Beijing Capital Stadium in late April 1971 after USA table tennis delegation visited Beijing on 10 April 1971.

The Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai met the Australian table tennis delegation at Beijing Great Hall of the People on 1 May 1971. Later the Australian delegation was invited to attend the May Day Celebrations in Beijing Tienamen Square.

Zhou Enlai (left) shakes hand with Paul Pinkewich (right) on 1 May 1971 in Beijing.

“Lest we forget” the Director of Table Tennis NSW (TTNSW), Dr Michael Li said: ”We appreciate, respect and remember what the players, the officials and the volunteers of our table tennis community did for our nation.”

    Zhou Enlai (right) shakes hand with Richard Nixon (left) on 21 February 1972 in Beijing

The Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai met USA table tennis delegation at Beijing Great Hall of the People on 14 April 1971.

The President of TTNSW, Tony Aduckiewicz said “TTNSW not only has a proud history of producing national champions and Australian representatives in international competitions, it also has a proud of history of providing Australia’s first diplomats to China.”

Tony said: “Both Noel Shorter and Paul Pinkewich are life members of TTNSW and life members of TTA. Their historic visit was the starting point of the establishment of relations with China and Australia. It is unbelievable that Noel and Paul shook hands with the Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai before Gough Whitlam and Richard Nixon.”

Tony continued:” It was acknowledged that 2021 marks the 50-year anniversary of the 1971 ‘Ping Pong Diplomacy’ Tour. TTNSW and TTA are working closely to identify opportunities to celebrate this historic event. Thank you to Dr Michael Li for his 'sense of history'. He started to do research as early as 2018 to check, record and report this historic event to our table tennis community.”

Michael said: “Nearly half century ago, three Australian teenagers with two Australian officials set foot into China nearly three months before Gough Whitlam, and even three months before Henry Kissinger and 10 months before Richard Nixon took their first steps to China, it is a historic event to be remembered forever. They are the ambassadors and heroes of our nation. It is something we should never forget, and it changed the world.”

Michael thanks Paul Pinkewich for the discussion, communication, advice and support for this article. 

Article Written by Dr Michael Li