DC -- Natl Archives -- Case: Ping Pong Diplomacy:
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- Description of Pictures: "Ping-Pong Diplomacy."
Although official relations did not exist between the United States and the PRC at the time of the American athletes' visit, the US Department of State created and distributed this "Intelligence Brief" summarizing the implications of the PRC's invitation. After the visit, further diplomatic approaches and negotiations paved that way for the first visit of a US president, Richard M. Nixon, to China in February 1972. Diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in 1979,
In recognition of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing this summer, the National Archives presents this document about an athletic event that became part of diplomatic history.
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- Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
- PING_080806_02.JPG: The display this time was "Ping-Pong Diplomacy":
In April 1971, an informal and friendly exchange between athletes from the United States and the People's Republic of China table tennis teams signaled a warming of relations between the two countries and made diplomatic history. On April 6, 1971, officials from the People's Republic of China (PRC) unexpectedly invited the American table tennis, or Ping-Pong, team to join players from other nations in a tour of their country. When the US team accepted the invitation and invited the PRC team to tour the United States at a later date, journalists began to use the term "Ping-Pong Diplomacy."
Although official relations did not exist between the United States and the PRC at the time of the American athletes' visit, the US Department of State created and distributed this "Intelligence Brief" summarizing the implications of the PRC's invitation. After the visit, further diplomatic approaches and negotiations paved that way for the first visit of a US president, Richard M. Nixon, to China in February 1972. Diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in 1979,
In recognition of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing this summer, the National Archives presents this document about an athletic event that became part of diplomatic history.
- PING_080806_14.JPG: "Intelligence Brief" from the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State, to the Acting Secretary of State, pages 1 and 2, April 14, 1971.
The "Intelligence Brief" notes the remarks made by PRC Premier Chou En-lai to the American table tennis team during their visit concerning the "new page" in the relationship between the United States and China by the adoption of a "people's diplomacy."
- PING_080806_22.JPG: US table tennis team at the Great Wall of China, April 1971, photograph (reproduction) by Norman Webster (c) The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Canada.
In this photograph, members of the US table tennis team and their entourage pose during their tour of the Great Wall. The team's tour, April 10-17, 1971, was eagerly covered by the world press. In addition to sightseeing, the team played exhibition games with their hosts.
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