"All diplomacy," wrote Zhou Enlai in 1954, "is a continuation of war by other means." This is a telling admission from China's first Premier, especially considering how Zhou and his boss, Chairman Mao Zedong, would later reinvent the concept of diplomacy. In 1971, a chance encounter between the American and Chinese table tennis teams at the 1971 World Championships led to a political windfall for both countries. As the awestruck American athletes were invited to tour China, previously restricted to Westerners, Mao and President Nixon both reveled in the positive press and geopolitical capital. Dubbed "Ping-Pong Diplomacy," the goodwill tours continued through 1972, when the Chinese players were invited to tour the United States. Operating with the mantra of "Friendship first, competition second," the vastly superior Chinese team took it easy on the Americans in barnstorming exhibition matches. A good time was had by all. The improved relations between the two global superpowers continue to pay various forms of dividends to this day. In 2021, the United States will host the World Table Tennis Championships for the first time, a momentous occasion timed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first diplomatic table tennis tour. "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" itself has become a key component of China's global vision. Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched the "Belt and Road Initiative" in 2013, strategically investing in the infrastructures of 152 countries. China has used table tennis to great advantage when facilitating such arrangements in new countries, sponsoring tournaments, offering coaching and equipment, and even inviting players to train in China. While a cynical observer might say that China is using table tennis as a Trojan Horse to open doors and secure economic and political advantages, it remains to be seen what effects such investments will have on the many targeted nations. One such country receiving Chinese attention is Jamaica, which joined the Belt and Road Initiative in April 2019. On November 5, the Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness made an official diplomatic visit to China. While in Shanghai, Holness visited the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) museum, taking the chance to play a friendly game with his Chinese hosts. By all accounts, they were impressed by the career politician's talent for China's national pastime. While PM Holness played a pleasant round of table tennis, his Chinese hosts continue to use the game's diplomatic value to their advantage in a much bigger game. In other words, it is war by other means.

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