Young athletes revive 'ping-pong diplomacy' in Shanghai

In recent years, Dicker has closely monitored the development of American football in China. The increasing number of youth tournaments and rising participation levels make him optimistic about deeper sports cooperation between the two countries. "It's incredible to see how much football is growing here. Hopefully, one day we'll get an NFL game here in China. That would be incredible," he said.

Louis Levene, a 25-year-old American table tennis coach, is visiting China for the first time. Upon arriving in Shanghai, he was pleasantly surprised by the city's orderly environment and the kindness of its residents, which reshaped his previous perceptions of the country.

"It feels a lot more kind of peaceful here, like more orderly, and everyone is more kind. You don't see people like cursing you out on the street or anything like that," Levene said.

Initially resistant to table tennis despite his family's encouragement, Levene eventually embraced the sport with passion. Dedicated to youth training, he firmly believes in table tennis' unique ability to connect people, transcending age and national boundaries to foster joy and friendship for all who play.

"It's something that you can do for your whole life. Whether you're a kid or 90 years old, you can still play, and you can still have fun, and you connect with so many people," he said.