Spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy lives on

The Chinese pair will participate in a series of events to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy, being held in Washington DC, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

As Dell Sweeris, now a sprightly 78-year-old, watched the intense action at the championship, fond memories came flooding back.

His wife, Connie Sweeris, was an athlete who visited China with the US table tennis team in 1971. A year later, he participated in the official reception for the Chinese team's return visit.

With a smile playing on his lips, he reflected on how a simple game of ping-pong had once bridged political chasms and brought nations closer together.