Connie Sweeris (4th L), American table tennis champion who went on the ice-breaking trip to China in 1971, her husband Dell Sweeris (3rd L), and participants from China and the United States take selfies during an event to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy in Fremont, California, the United States, Dec. 15, 2023. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua)

The Ontario Convention Center buzzed with excitement on Saturday as hundreds of players were playing matches at over 100 Ping-Pong tables for the 2023 U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships, which is scheduled to be concluded this Thursday.

The international tournament draws players from around the world to Ontario, a city in Southern California. Among them were Wu Bohan and Zhang Yuwen, representing Peking University.

In vibrant red jerseys, the pair were playing their first mixed doubles match. For them, this tournament meant more than winning titles, but also showcasing skills, learning from international players, and fostering goodwill.

More importantly, they will participate in a series of celebrations of the 52nd anniversary of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" being held in Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

As Dell Sweeris, now a sprightly 78-year-old, watched the intense matches from beyond the arena's fence, memories flooded back.

His wife, Connie Sweeris, was an athlete who visited China with the U.S. table tennis team in 1971, and he himself participated in the entire reception of the return visit of the Chinese table tennis team in 1972.

His vintage blue U.S. national team jersey stood as a testament to the enduring power of sports diplomacy. With a smile playing on his lips, he reflected on how a simple game of Ping-Pong had once bridged political chasms and brought nations closer together.

"I was so fortunate to be on the U.S. national team in 1972 when the Chinese team came here," Sweeris recalled. "They sent the legend here, which included Zhuang Zedong, Li Furong, Zhang Xielin, Zheng Huaiying ... We were so fortunate to have these people and we were able to travel with them."

"I totally agree that Ping-Pong is a bridge to help people to know the world and to know people from different communities," Sweeris told Xinhua.

Through table tennis, he got to know the "legend" players in the "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" era; now he became friends with Liu Wei, former world champion and now a professor at Peking University. Through table tennis, he witnessed the changes that have taken place in China over the past decades.

As the coach of the Peking University table tennis team, Liu Wei said the team was on a mission to pass on the spirit of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy." By telling them of the stories of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy," she hoped to plant a seed that would allow them to carry forward the inspiration and wisdom in the future.

In Liu's eyes, the essence of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" lies in "friendship first, competition second." "It is about the continuity of friendship," she said. "It will be passed on to the next generation through the medium of table tennis. One of the driving forces behind this continuity is the shared love for this sport by the people of both China and the United States."

Brooke Leonard, a 32-year-old table tennis enthusiast, has been playing the sport for a decade. He is a member of the Los Angeles Table Tennis Association and runs his own social media channel called "Ping-Pong Weekend."

Leonard not only appreciated the history of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" but also hoped to foster continuous friendship between China and the United States.

"Ping-Pong allows me to meet more Chinese people. Just being in this sport, I met a lot of Chinese people that I probably wouldn't have met," Leonard told Xinhua. He envisioned a future where table tennis could deepen mutual understanding and enhance cooperation between the two nations.

Leonard believes that promoting the sport in the United States is essential, and his Youtube channel aims to contribute to this cause.

"That's part of why I have my YouTube channel (Ping-Pong Weekend), just to help Ping-Pong to grow in America. Some of the members of my group are Chinese, so we will love to see it around the whole world," he said.

The legacy of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" lives on, not only in the fierce rallies on the tables but also in the camaraderie shared by athletes across borders.

As Wu Bohan, Zhang Yuwen, Leonard and the Sweerises continued their matches, they carried forward the spirit of cooperation and friendship that began over half a century ago.

The Ontario Convention Center, with its rhythmic echoes of bouncing balls, became a microcosm of global unity -- a place where table tennis transcended mere competition and became a symbol of hope and understanding.  

Connie Sweeris, American table tennis champion who went on the ice-breaking trip to China in 1971, delivers a speech during an event held by the Chinese Embassy in the United States to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy in Washington, D.C., the United States, Dec. 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)