Xinhua News Agency, Washington, May 31 (Reporter Yan Liang) The Chinese Embassy in the United States held a "Pickleball Night" event on May 30. Xie Feng, Chinese Ambassador to the United States, said in his speech that from table tennis to pickleball, what has changed is the racket, but what remains unchanged is the original intention of the two peoples to long for friendship.
That night, Xie Feng gathered together with the teachers, students, and parents of the American youth pickleball delegation to relive the wonderful journey of Chinese and American youths from "making friends with the ball" to "interconnecting with the heart."
Xie Feng said in his speech that half a century ago, a small table tennis ball built a bridge of communication across the Pacific. Today’s pickleball is drawing a beautiful arc for Sino-US cultural exchanges in the new era. China and the United States are like two sides on the court. They must not only compete according to the rules, but also know how to respect each other. He said that competition is inevitable, but it should be active competition in which you chase after others, fair competition in abiding by the rules, and healthy competition in which we improve together, with the purpose of achieving a better version of ourselves. This rational understanding of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation is not only the logic for understanding the way major powers get along with each other, but also the key to overcoming the "Thucydides Trap".
Xie Feng emphasized that China and the United States have different histories, cultures, social systems, and development paths, but differences are not a reason for confrontation, but an opportunity for exchanges and a driving force for cooperation. Both sides should continue to lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of issues. It is hoped that the United States and China will meet each other halfway and implement the heads of state consensus as soon as possible.
Xie Feng hopes that the youth of the two countries will be based on the present, look to the future, focus on global issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence, public health, and food security, and actively practice the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Xie Feng said that currently, Sino-US relations stand at a new historical starting point, and it is necessary to promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of Sino-US relations.
