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No access Chinese mainland CCTV Newscontent www.cctvplus.com +86-10-83949886 +86-10-63978447 contact@cctvplus.com 2026-09-27T14:05:29Z 2026-09-27T14:05:29Z 2026-09-27 2014-11-06T09:22:45Z China Central Television United States Sport Sept 23-25, 2026/File USA-Ping-pong Diplomacy/Veterans Ping-pong diplomacy veterans hope for stronger China-US ties Two American veterans of the historic "ping-pong diplomacy" have welcomed the renewed mention by Chinese President Xi Jinping of the episode during the recent China-U.S. summit, expressing hope that the two countries will strengthen exchanges, enhance mutual trust and pass on their friendship from generation to generation. Xi mentioned "ping-pong diplomacy" in a toast at a welcome banquet hosted by the U.S. president on Thursday evening, saying it opened the great process of normalizing China-U.S. relations with the political wisdom of "a small ball moving the globe". In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) on Friday, Connie and her husband Dell Sweeris, former players on the U.S. National Table Tennis Team, said they were delighted that the episode was mentioned again during the China-U.S. summit. "I was really, really kind of shocked about that, because here in the United States, it's not as popular. And I don't think many people, a lot of people, young people, maybe don't even know about Ping-Pong Diplomacy. So I was really surprised to hear that. But at the same time, I was really happy that he mentioned that," Connie said. In 1971, Connie visited China with the U.S. table tennis delegation. The following year, she and her husband Dell hosted the Chinese table tennis team on its return visit to the United States. Dell recalled that when the Chinese team visited the United States, American audiences not only wanted to watch matches but also wanted to meet these Chinese friends from afar. After a training session, a remark by a Chinese player left him with deep impression. "We were practicing and they said they would give us some instruction. So they were telling us some things to do that would improve our skills. And then when they finished, they said, 'well now you teach us something'. The intent was to have a mutual exchange and not just have only one-sided. They wondered about us and we showed them our country, all different aspects of it," Dell said. More than half a century of friendship also endures in the small moments. Connie remembered how, during the Chinese team's 1972 visit to the United States, the Chinese players learned “Home on the Range” and sang it to them in English on the bus. When she returned to Beijing this April, she reunited with a Chinese player from back then - someone who still remembered the tune and could sing it. Today, the couple hopes more young Americans will have experiences like theirs. "I would like to encourage them, if they get opportunities to do this, where they can go into China, as a student or as a ping pong player or music or education, take advantage of doing that. Because I'm a firm believer that the more you understand a person's culture and their beliefs, it helps promote communication and keeps friendships, and making friendships go forward," Connie said. The couple also reflected on the wider stakes of the China-U.S. relationship, calling on both countries to work together for global peace and solutions to shared challenges. "The relationship between China and the U.S. is on a global stage, and I really believe that if we can make it work between our two countries, that will set forth peace maybe throughout the world," Connie said. "We need the leaders of the country and the people that work under them to work together and find common ground and appreciate both sides of things and come up with a solution to the world, because everybody's looking to us to do that, I think," Dell said. English/Nats/Part Mute FILE: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA - April 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 1. Various of Connie Sweeris and Dell Sweeris, former members of U.S. national table tennis team, playing table tennis 2. Various of Connie Sweeris, Dell Sweeris looking at collection of items related to China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy, items in display cabinet Washington D.C., USA - Sept 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 3. White House, national flags of United States Washington D.C., USA - Sept 24, 2026 (White House - No access Chinese mainland) 4. White House, national flags of United States Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA - Sept 25, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Connie Sweeris, former member of U.S. national table tennis team (partially overlaid with shots 6-7): "And I was really, really kind of shocked about that, because here in the United States, it's not as popular. And I don't think many people, a lot of people, young people, maybe don't even know about Ping-Pong Diplomacy. So I was really surprised to hear that. But at the same time, I was really happy that he mentioned that." ++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ Washington D.C., USA - Sept 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 6. National flags of China, United States Maryland, USA - Sept 23, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 7. National flags of China, United States ++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Beijing, China - 1971 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 8. Picture showing cover of Time reading: "China: A Whole New Game" 9. Pictures showing U.S. national table tennis team members on Great Wall 10. Group photo of Chinese, U.S. ping-pong teams in 1971 FILE: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA - April 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 11. Various of Connie Sweeris, Dell Sweeris observing collection of items related to China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy, items in display cabinet Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA - Sept 25, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 12. SOUNDBITE (English) Dell Sweeris, former member of U.S. national table tennis team (starting with shot 11/partially overlaid with shot 13): "So we were practicing and they said they would give us some instruction. So they were telling us some things to do that would improve our skills. And then when they finished, they said, 'well now you teach us something'. The intent was to have a mutual exchange and not just have only one-sided. They wondered about us and we showed them our country, all different aspects of it." ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Beijing, China - 1971 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 13. Pictures of U.S. table tennis player Glenn Cowan with Chinese players in 1971 ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Beijing, China - April 10, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 14. Various of young table tennis players attending event commemorating 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy, posing for photo, waving at camera, playing table tennis Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA - Sept 25, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 15. SOUNDBITE (English) Connie Sweeris, former member of U.S. national table tennis team (starting with shot 14/partially overlaid with shot 16): "I would like to encourage them, if they get opportunities to do this, where they can go into China, as a student or as a ping pong player or music or education, take advantage of doing that. Because I'm a firm believer that the more you understand a person's culture and their beliefs, it helps promote communication and keeps friendships, and making friendships go forward." ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ FILE: Beijing, China - April 10, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 16. Various of people visiting robot exhibition center ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ 17. Various of former Chinese, U.S. table tennis players greeting each other, looking at old photo, posing for photo Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA - Sept 25, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 18. SOUNDBITE (English) Connie Sweeris, former members of U.S. national table tennis team (ending with shot 19): "The relationship between China and the U.S. is on a global stage, and I really believe that if we can make it work between our two countries, that will set forth peace maybe throughout the world." FILE: Shanghai, China - April 14, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 19. Badge of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA - Sept 25, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 20. SOUNDBITE (English) Dell Sweeris, former members of U.S. national table tennis team (partially overlaid with shot 19): "We need the leaders of the country and the people that work under them to work together and find common ground and appreciate both sides of things and come up with a solution to the world, because everybody's looking to us to do that, I think." ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ Beijing, China - April 10, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 21. Various of posters, exhibition featuring videos of Ping-Pong Diplomacy ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ 22. Various of screen showing old videos of Chinese, U.S. athletes playing table tennis 23. Various of Chinese, U.S. guests playing table tennis