Ping-Pong Diplomacy remembered at the Nixon Library

He was welcomed by the great Chinese table tennis player Zhuang Zedong, who got up from his seat to greet him and gifted him with a silk-screen portrait of the Huangshan Mountains. The chance encounter was recorded by journalists, who took photos as Cowan and the Chinese team stepped off the bus.

When Chairman Mao Zedong heard of the exchange, he invited the US team to visit China. On April 10, 1971, the 15-member group, which consisted of the team members, their spouses and team officials, became the first American delegation to visit the Chinese capital since 1949.

Peter Gao, president and founder of the ACAA, who initiated the event, said Ping-Pong Diplomacy not only shortened the distance between Chinese and Americans, but opened up a chapter in US-China relations.

"Sportsmanship breaks down the language barrier and promotes cross-cultural exchange and peace in the world," he added.