Pop quiz: What is the traditional gift for a 48th anniversary? This is not just random trivia, but a very pertinent line of questioning. As you scroll through a mental list of senior couples who might be approaching such a momentous milestone, consider what was happening in 1971. The United States and China, at odds since the Korean War two decades earlier, were both mulling the potential advantages of improved relations. They got their chance at the 1971 World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya, Japan when their respective teams broke the ice. The next thing you know, China invited the US team to tour their country, and the USA reciprocated a year later. Nixon and Mao basked in the good press, as well as their calculated geopolitical advantages, and a good time was had by all. Flash forward 48 years and the party is still rolling. Despite the escalating trade war between the two global superpowers, China and the United States are still promoting peace and good will through table tennis. The latest such instantiation was found on August 22 in Yorba Linda, California, home of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. There, the past met the present with an eye toward the future. Three original members of the US team that went to China in 1971 were present to play exhibition matches with the current Chinese team. One such original Ping Pong Diplomat was Judy Hoarfrost (née Bochenski), who smashed through current world champion Liu Shiwen's defense during their playful rally. “Forty-eight years after our 1971 Ping Pong Diplomacy trip to China, it is awesome to see the legacy and spirit of Ping Pong Diplomacy continue to a new generation," said Hoarfrost. "As table tennis players, let's all of us contribute to peace and understanding around the world.” The Chinese team, captained by Grand Slam champion Liu Guoliang, is in California this month for a special joint training camp with the US team. "Since the small ping-pong ball played a big role 48 years ago, China and U.S. table tennis players have kept close contact and communication and developed a long-term friendship with each other," said Liu, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. The love fest will continue as both countries prepare for the 2021 and 2022 World Championships, to be held in the United States and China, respectively, in honor of Ping-Pong Diplomacy's golden anniversary. By the way, time's up. Pencils down. The 48th anniversary gift? Feldspar.

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