Chinese table tennis world champions Ma Long (second from right) and Liu Shiwen (left) attend a jersey exchange ceremony with table tennis players from the United States on Sunday in Los Angeles in the US state of California. The ceremony was part of an event held to mark the 53rd anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy and the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. LU WEI/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

A gala dinner commemorating the 53rd anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy between China and the United States, as well as the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, was held in Los Angeles, aiming to draw wisdom and strength from Ping-Pong Diplomacy to promote the healthy and stable development of China-US relations.

In April 1971, nine US table tennis players were invited to Beijing for exhibition games with Chinese players, helping to break the ice between Beijing and Washington and laying the groundwork for the eventual establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"For more than half a century, the spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy has always inspired us to use sports as a bond to narrow the distance between the peoples and deepen understanding and friendship," said Gao Zhidan, director of the General Administration of Sport of China, in a letter to the event.

Gao, who is also president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, expressed the hope that sports will be utilized as a unique bridge to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries to a new height.

The Chinese Olympic Committee is willing to keep working with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, USA Table Tennis and friends from all walks of life to jointly advance all-around cooperation in the fields of competitive sports and youth sports, he added.

Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Guo Shaochun said when addressing the event that the common interests between China and the US have not decreased, but increased.

Bilateral win-win cooperation is not only in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples, but also conforms to the trend of the times, Guo emphasized.

A sound and stable China-US relationship is the right choice for the two countries, their peoples and the whole world, he added.

Gene Sykes, chair of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee Board of Directors, affirmed the unique role of Ping-Pong Diplomacy, saying that the spirit of the extraordinary event still has an important influence to this day.

He expressed the belief that the spirit will continue to shape bilateral ties and inspire people to create a more harmonious world.

More than 600 people from various sectors in both countries attended the event on Sunday.

During the event, Chinese table tennis world champions Ma Long and Liu Shiwen, along with US table tennis players, attended a jersey exchange ceremony.

By Zhao Jia