NAGOYA, Japan, April 4 -- Chinese and Japanese players who witnessed the ping-pong diplomacy decades ago reunited at the Aikodai Meiden High School in Nagoya on Tuesday to play a friendly game and celebrate the lasting ping-pong friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
Forty-seven years ago, exchanges between ping-pong players at the 31st World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya, Japan, paved the way for China and the United States to finally normalize bilateral diplomatic relations.
Japanese friendly personnel such as Koji Goto, the late chairman of Japan Table Tennis Association and former president of Table Tennis Federation of Asia, played a key role in helping Chinese players to enter the the 1971 championships.
Yasuyuki Goto, grandson of Koji Goto and head of Nagoya Electrical Educational Foundation, told at the welcoming ceremony the story how his grandfather, together with other Japanese friends, helped pull strings and made contribution to the normalization of ties between China and the United States as well as between China and Japan.
As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, it is hoped that commemoration of the ping-pong diplomacy could deepen friendship between the peoples of the two countries, Goto said.
Toshiko Takeuchi, who represented Japan at the championships 47 years ago, could still remember vividly her then impression of the Chinese athletes.
"We didn't know China was going to participate in the games until in February (1971), and we knew very little about our Chinese contenders. But when we finally met in the games, they struck me as very cheerful and friendly. They smiled at their opponents in games," she said.
Takeuchi said that she felt honored as a witness of the ping-pong diplomacy that began at the championships.
"Today's event reminded me again of the significance of the ping-pong diplomacy. The love for ping-pong is shared by people from all over the world. As a ping-pong player, I feel honored to be part of that history," she said.
Liang Geliang, a world champion from China, said that he could never forget his experience at the championships 47 years ago. Since then, he and his Japanese friends have been keeping in touch and trying their best to make contribution to promoting friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
Xi Enting, also a Chinese world champion, said that ping-pong exchanges between China and Japan had never stopped and it is hoped that the exchanges could help promoting bilateral ties.
After an exhibition game between the veteran players, the Chinese world champions also played with Japanese young players and high school students, giving them some guidance.
"I'm happy to play with Chinese world champions. I will never forget this experience," said Natsumi Nakahata, a young player from Japan.
Later in the day, the Chinese world champions, along with other members of the delegation dispatched by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, visited with Japanese friends the stadium where the 1971 championships were held, as well as the Ping-pong Diplomacy Memorial Wall set up in 2017 to commemorate that episode of history.
Yasuko Sugimoto, a Japanese player who also took part in the 1971 championships, brought with her a photo taken 10 years ago of her and Liang Geliang as token of their friendship.
"I hope we can meet again when we are in our nineties," Liang, who is now in his late 60s, said enthusiastically to Sugimoto.
2016年搞定高考英语完形填空的四步发
关于九年级下册暑期作业英语练习
2016高考英语二轮复习提高阅读能力要加强课外阅读
盘点最新2016高考二轮复习英语阅读理解的八种能力
英语2016高考二轮复习听力练习的三个阶段
高考英语二轮复习策略2016
英语初三暑假作业练习2015苏教版
初三年级下册英语暑期作业试题
李俊和建议:考生应该提高英语阅读量
推荐暑期作业英语九年级下册
初三年级下册英语暑期作业推荐
盘点高考二轮复习2月和3月英语复习内容
第二学期英语九年级下册暑期练习题
盘点2015-2016高考英语二轮复习如何抓住基础知识
专家建议高考英语二轮复习一点要培养语感
总结高考二轮复习提高英语背诵效率的办法
关于九年级英语暑期作业练习
针对初三年级下册英语暑期作业
15-16高考英语二轮复习如何突破英语易错题
苏教版初中三年级英语暑期作业精选
暑假作业练习英语九年级下册(范文)
新九年级暑假作业英语练习
最新2016高考英语二轮复习的建议
高考二轮复习要提高英语阅读理解的八种能力
第二学期九年级英语暑期作业推荐
2015-2016高考英语词汇复习不可忽视介词
暑期作业英语九年级下册推荐
最新版九年级下册暑期作业英语
针对初三年级英语下册暑期练习题整理
盘点解决高考英语词汇的四个方法
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |