Nearly a half-century after a chance encounter altered the course of history, so-called "Ping Pong Diplomacy" continues to forge unlikely alliances. It began in 1971, at the World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya, Japan. 19-year-old USA Team member Glenn Cowan accidentally wandered into China's team bus. Realizing he was too late to catch his own team bus, he took an uncomfortable seat next to all-time-great Zhuang Zedong. As the two athletes from politically antagonistic countries sat next to each other, the awkwardness gradually gave way to a simple gesture of kindness, as Zhuang gave Cowann a Chinese silkscreen print as a souvenir. Neither could have guessed how that little memento would spark such a momentous series of events. Soon, China invited the USA team to come play in mainland China, and the frosty Sino-American relations began to thaw. In 1972, the US reciprocated the gesture. The Chinese national team toured the United States, pulling their powerful punches in favor of feel-good exhibition matches. Both Nixon and Mao Zedong rode the tidal wave of positive press for all it was worth, opening up diplomatic and economic channels which continue to influence the geopolitical landscape. Flash forward to the present day, and you could be forgiven for having a touch of déjà vu all over again. 47 years after their first barnstorming tour, the Chinese national team has again come to the United States on a working vacation. Staying in Los Angeles, the Chinese players and coaches are training with their American counterparts at a UCLA gym. In the historical spirit of uniting adversaries, this modern incarnation of Ping Pong Diplomacy even has rival USC's table tennis team mixing with UCLA players for friendly mixed doubles matches. Fun aside, all the USA players were there to absorb everything they could from the perennial world champions. "When you play with the best of the best, there is so much to learn," said USATT CEO Virginia Sung. "Our U.S. players will learn what it takes to be the best in the world: the technique, discipline, and a fresh perspective on how much dedication, hard work and sacrifice is required to stand on top of the mountain." Sung was instrumental in orchestrating the visit, which will help build momentum for the 2021 World Championships in Houston. Not only will this be the first chance for the USA too host the venerable event, but it will also serve as an opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy. "Being able to practice with Chinese team here in LA will definitely create closer relations between the U.S. and China and help strengthen diplomatic relations between our two countries. And that's a good thing," said USA team member Crystal Wang. This time, the teams are more about serious training than putting on a show. While there is time for a little fun during the two-week visit, both teams are maintaining their businesslike approach to training for the World Cups, World Team Championships and Olympics, all within the next year. You could call it Table Tennis Diplomacy.

More at Xinhua