BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- A tiny white ball bounced across the table as young Chinese and American students teamed up for a doubles match in northern China, with their sportsmanship reflecting the spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy, 55 years after it helped reopen channels of friendly exchange between the two countries.

The friendly match formed part of commemorations marking the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy, held in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province, from April 11 to 12. More than 200 participants from the United States, including young athletes, middle school students and goodwill representatives, joined the event.

In April 1971, a U.S. table tennis team delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades. The trip was the beginning of what became known as Ping-Pong Diplomacy, which helped lay the groundwork for the establishment of official diplomatic relations between China and the United States.

Among the visitors to Shijiazhuang, Judy Hoarfrost, who back in April 1971 joined the table tennis delegation to China at the age of 15, the youngest member in the delegation, spoke about her trip to China over half a century ago and the changes since then.

"This is my 10th time in China. So much has changed in 55 years and what impresses me is the extreme trajectory of growth," said Hoarfrost.

"We have so many Chinese students in the United States and Americans coming to China to study and to work together and even my own children have ties with China," she added.

Hoarfrost believes the exchange program is a great way for young people of both countries to learn from each other with an open mind, and they can realize the importance of learning other cultures.

"It's important now more than ever for us to solve the world's problems together. Our two great countries have a lot of influence and together we can make a huge difference and solve the new problems that come up," said Hoarfrost.

For Savious Joe, a student from Roosevelt Middle School in the United States, her trip to Shijiazhuang was far more than a chance to learn table tennis -- it was a great opportunity to make new friends.

With patient instructions from her Chinese companion Tan Zhiyuan, a local school student, Joe went from a complete beginner to sustaining several consecutive rallies.

She said she was excited to make friends with Chinese peers and learn about a distinct culture through table tennis, which added another layer of meaning to the exchange.

As the delegation continued the tour to visit Shanghai in east China, they held friendship table tennis competitions with local Chinese students. They called out shots in English, gestured to coordinate tactics, and gave each other a smile after small errors.

For Scott Burstein from Duke University, partnering with his Chinese peers was a novel experience. "You quickly realize how easy it is to become friends," he said.

"This match is not about winning or losing. I'm happy to compete face-to-face with American youth," said Zhao Xinpeng from Shanghai University of Sport. "Our styles differ greatly, and that only makes us more eager to understand each other."

Tristan Rice of Western Carolina University cited her favorite moment in Shanghai: posing for photos in a dark blue traditional Hanfu robe alongside her new Chinese friends.

"This is my first time here, but I have made friends. And we had a really close bonding experience talking about school and how school works and the differences and similarities and how it's a difficult time in life, but also an enlightening one," said Rice.

Over the decades, the spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy has continued bridging political differences and fostering people-to-people exchange between the two nations.

Shen Xin, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the organizer of the events, said the activities provided a platform for young people from China and the United States to build mutual understanding and learning.

Revitalizing this cross-generational legacy of the China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy in the new era passes the torch forward with youthful energy, and contributes to the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, Shen said.

Beyond table tennis, a wide range of other sports and cultural programs have flourished amid people-to-people exchanges, enriching bilateral ties in diverse forms.

In 2025, teachers and students of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland, visited China under the initiative of inviting 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

During the Commemoration of the 55th Anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy and the launching ceremony of the China-U.S. Youth Sports Exchange Events in Beijing last week, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng expressed hope that U.S. teenagers participating in sports exchanges in China will bring curiosity and return with an objective understanding of China and a precious friendship with Chinese partners.

Noting that more sincerity and concrete actions are needed to revitalize the spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy in the new era, Han said both sides should build bridges for bilateral people-to-people, local and youth exchanges and cooperation. ■