LAS VEGAS, United States - Chinese and US table tennis athletes and local enthusiasts gathered in Las Vegas on Sunday to commemorate the 54th anniversary of "Ping-Pong diplomacy," highlighting the lasting friendship between the two peoples through sport exchanges.

The friendly exchange event was jointly organized by the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) and USA Table Tennis (USATT), with support from the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco and the Nevada US-China Cultural Association.

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Throughout the event, players from both countries, including some world champions from China who attended the WTT US Smash held in Las Vegas on July 3-13, exchanged techniques, while local community members and young enthusiasts also took part in friendly matches with their idols.

Fifty-four years on, the spirit of "Ping-Pong diplomacy" continues to inspire both nations today, Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Zhang Jianmin said during the event.

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"It reminds us how powerful people-to-people connections can be," he said.

Moreover, "Ping-Pong diplomacy" also "showed us that engagement and communication hold the key to improving mutual understanding," and that "win-win cooperation is the right path to common development," said Zhang.

Wang Liqin, president of CTTA and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, said that the CTTA is willing to deepen cooperation with the US table tennis community through competitions, youth training interactions and other exchanges.

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"We sincerely invite young friends from the United States to visit China for exchanges, to engage in friendly games with Chinese players, and to strengthen our bonds of friendship," he said.

Virginia Sung, CEO of USATT, highlighted the significance of table tennis in building bridges between the two countries.

"Sport has a powerful way of bringing people closer. It speaks across languages and cultures and reminds us that even the smallest ball can carry the weight of friendship and understanding," she said.