The day pingpong changed the world 老美眼中的“乒乓外交”

Thirty-seven years ago, America feared China, then the largely unknown Communist giant of the Far East. But as NBC’s John Larson reports, all of that changed thanks to a little white ball.

With a world about to descend on Beijing for the Olympic Games, it may be difficult for some younger people to imagine that Communist China was once largely cut off from the Western World. Then, at the height of the cold war, that began to change in a most remarkable way. John Larson has the story tonight of "a diplomatic breakthrough----pingpong style".

The Chinese economic miracle, the Beijing Olympics may have never happened without the help of a little, white ball. Liang Geliang from China and George Braithwaite of the U. S. played an exhibition match at the Nixon Library this month. Both were members of their countries' pingpong teams 37 years ago which arguably changed history.

In 1971, America feared the largely unknown communist giant

(Communist China seeks to spread its own brand of global revolution).

But that's when a long-haired American pingpong player missed his team bus in Japan and befriended the world's NO. 1 Chinese player. NBC correspondent John Rich watched as the unlikely friendship became international news and the American team was invited to be the first Americans inside the mysterious China in 20 years. (A remarkable display of warmth and good will. )

"Well, I ve never landed on the moon but it was a little bit like that."

The American athletes were welcomed by the Chinese Premier himself. Crowds of 18,000 turned out to watch exhibition matches, in which it can now be said the Chinese let the Americans win.

"Do you think the Chinese guy went easy on you because you were an American visitor?"

"I, I would say yes. "

"You think so?"

" I think so! "

All of which stunned the Nixon White House, "It was a pretty clear signal that the Chinese were looking for a fundamental change in the relationship."

White House tapes reveal Nixon recognized the matches were a diplomatic breakthrough. "We want to get everything that we can out of this... That we not appear to exploit it."

Within days, the groundwork was laid for a Nixon's historic trip to China, which soon opened China with all its exotic wonders to the world. But perhaps the Chinese leaders said it even better. In essence, they had let the little ball move the big ball.

John Larson, NBC News, Los Angles.

参考中文翻译：

37年前，美国惧怕中国，那时不为人知的远东地区共产主义大国。但是，幸亏一个白色的小球，一切发生了变化。NBC新闻的John Larson报道。

世界性的奥林匹克即将在中国北京拉开帷幕，年轻一代可能无法想象，共产主义中国曾经一度被西方世界排斥。冷战时期，发生了举世瞩目的变化，今晚John Larson将向我们讲述乒乓外交的故事。

如果没有这个白色的小球的帮助，中国经济的神话，北京奥运可能永远不会发生。本月，来自中国的郎葛亮和美国的George Braithwaite在尼克松图书馆举行了一场表演赛。37年前，两人都是他们国家兵乓队的队员，而这两支乒乓球队改变了历史。

1971年，美国惧怕共产主义大国中国。
（共产主义中国试图在全球性的变革中刻上自己的名字。）

但是那时，长头发的美国乒乓选手在日本与世界第一的中国选手成了朋友。NBC记者目睹了这一罕见的跨国友谊成了国际性的新闻，美国队成立20年来第一批受邀去神秘的中国的美国人。（这一举动很好的表现了友好的意愿。）

“我从来没有登上月球，但是那听上去就好像登月一般遥远。”

美国运动员收到中国国务院总理的亲自接待。18，000人观看了表演比赛，可以说，中国人让美国队赢了。

“你是否认为中国选手谦让是因为你是美国访问者？”

“是的。”

“你认为是这样？”

“对 ，我是这样认为。”

这一切震惊了尼克松政府。“这是一个很明显的信号，中国人想从根本上改变两国关系。”

白宫的磁带记录表明，尼克松意识到那些比赛是外交上的突破。“我们希望能尽一切努力突破这一点……我们似乎没有去努力开拓。”

几天之后，尼克松访华，中国的大门向世界敞开。但是，中国的领导人说的更好。实质上，他们用一个小球滚动了世界这个打球。