After more than two decades of hostility, Ping Pong Diplomacy began a shift in the U.S.-China relationship towards exchange and engagement. In 1972, engagement was far from inevitable and, just as in 2022, anything but easy, with detractors on both sides. The challenges faced and overcome during the early years of exchange may offer lessons for today: despite competition, skepticism, and controversy, engagement remains critical for addressing global, regional, and bilateral issues effectively.
Pete Millwood and Jing Tsu reflected on the 50th anniversary of the Chinese ping pong team’s historic visit to the United States and its continued relevance to the U.S.-China relationship today, in a conversation moderated by Keisha Brown at an event hosted by the National Committee on April 18, 2022.
