Members of China's national table tennis team hold a demonstration match at La Salle College Preparatory in Los Angeles, the United States, July 6, 2026.(Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

by Xinhua writers Tan Jingjing, Gao Shan

LOS ANGELES, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The gymnasium at La Salle College Preparatory erupted in cheers as members of China's national table tennis team showed off their skills before a crowd of students, teachers and parents -- some of whom later stepped up to trade shots with the pros themselves.

The Chinese athletes, including Olympic and world champions, rallied with teenagers, answered questions about their training and careers, posed for photos and shared laughs with students, turning the school gym into a lively venue for sports, cultural exchange and friendship.

The Chinese team was in Los Angeles for the World Table Tennis United States Smash, which ran from June 26 to July 5.

Their visit coincided with the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy, a historic exchange widely credited with helping open the door to renewed relations between the two countries in 1971.

For Perry Martin, president of La Salle College Preparatory, the significance of the visit extended well beyond the sport itself.

"More than 50 years ago, the world watched something extraordinary happen," Martin said during the welcoming ceremony. "A small ball crossed the table, and in that simple movement, history began to change."

"Our students are not simply watching an exhibition. They are witnessing how sports can become diplomacy, how respect can become friendship, and how a school can become a bridge between nations," Martin noted.

Between demonstration matches, Q&A sessions and friendly rallies, many students got their first close-up look at Chinese athletes -- some for the first time in person.

Ninth-grader John Murphy told Xinhua that he had watched table tennis competitions on television and knew the Chinese national table tennis team was among the strongest in the world, but meeting the athletes in person was an unforgettable experience.

"I'd love to learn more about Chinese culture and hopefully visit China one day," he said.

Founded in 1956, La Salle has offered Chinese language and culture courses since 2020, and has partnered with Beijing Language and Culture University on everything from student exchanges and teacher training to joint curriculum design and language testing.

Speaking at the event, He Xiao, secretary-general of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, described the visit as part of ongoing efforts to carry forward the spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy through youth exchanges.

Over the past 55 years, table tennis exchanges between China and the United States have continued through mutual visits, joint training, mixed doubles partnerships and youth programs, he said.

He invited American students and parents to see China's culture and table tennis tradition for themselves, and voiced hope that sport would help forge lasting friendships between young people on both sides.

Sun Yingsha, one of China's leading table tennis players, told Xinhua she hopes the team's visit to the school, together with other exchange activities, will contribute to stronger people-to-people ties between China and the United States.

"We hope the little ball can continue to move the big ball," Sun said. "I hope there will be more exchanges between young people from our two countries, and more children who love sports will be encouraged to take part."

Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles, Guo Shaochun, depicted the team's visit to La Salle College Preparatory as a significant practice of implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and promoting people-to-people exchanges.

He expressed hope that the event would help students deepen mutual understanding, build lasting friendships -- becoming, in his words, "a new generation of ambassadors for China-U.S. friendship" who jointly write a new chapter of Ping-Pong Diplomacy in the new era. ■

Members of China's national table tennis team interact with American students at La Salle College Preparatory in Los Angeles, the United States, July 6, 2026. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

Members of China's national table tennis team interact with American students at La Salle College Preparatory in Los Angeles, the United States, July 6, 2026.(Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)