Ping-Pong Diplomacy and the CCP’s Weaknesses

U.S. Consul General in Shanghai James Heller (2nd L) with former Chinese table tennis player Zhang Xielin (2nd R) during a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy at the International Table Tennis Federation museum in Shanghai on April 10, 2021. Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

On April 10, Shanghai held an opening ceremony for a series of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of ping-pong diplomacy, when the U.S. table tennis team visited Communist China for the first time in 1971. Due to the current stalemate in bilateral relations, this event came off as awkward.