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One of the first public hints of improved U.S.-China relations came on April 6, 1971, when the American Ping-Pong team, in Japan for the 31st World Table Tennis Championship, received a surprise invitation from their Chinese colleagues for an all-expense paid visit to the People’s Republic. Time magazine called it "The ping heard round the world." On April 10, nine players, four officials, and two spouses stepped across a bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland, ushering in an era of "Ping-Pong diplomacy." They were the first group of Americans allowed into China since the Communist takeover in 1949. 1971年4月6日，乒乓球曾经作为中美关系友好使者，为两国关系的发展做出了突出的贡献。那时，美国的乒乓球队，在日本参加第31届乒乓球冠军赛事。他们惊奇地接受到来自中国的邀请，费用全由中国承担。正如纽约时代杂志所说，乒乓球的声音回荡全球!4月10日，9名队员，4名官员，两对夫妇登上了香港连接大陆的桥梁，捧出了“乒乓外交”。他们就是从1949年新中国成立以后，第一批踏上中国土地的人们。 In various ping-pong games, the most famous is the world championship competition, which was held once a year at the beginning, now, it is held twice a year ever since 1957. 在名目繁多的乒乓球比赛中，最负盛名的是世界乒乓球锦标赛，起初每年举行一次，1957年后改为两年举行一次。 | 
