What term describes the thaw in US-China relations that began with friendly table-tennis exchanges in the early 1970s?

What term describes the thaw in US-China relations that began with friendly table-tennis exchanges in the early 1970s?

• A. Ping pong diplomacy
• B. Detente
• C. Shanghai Communique
• D. Great Society

Answer: (A)

Sports diplomacy through table-tennis opened doors between the United States and China in the early 1970s. The term ping pong diplomacy captures how those friendly exchanges helped thaw relations, paving the way for high-level talks, Nixon’s 1972 visit, and eventually closer ties. This approach is distinct from detente, which describes broader easing of tensions with the Soviet Union; the Shanghai Communique is the specific 1972 joint statement that followed the thaw; and the Great Society refers to domestic programs in the U.S., not bilateral diplomacy.

Sports diplomacy through table-tennis opened doors between the United States and China in the early 1970s. The term ping pong diplomacy captures how those friendly exchanges helped thaw relations, paving the way for high-level talks, Nixon’s 1972 visit, and eventually closer ties. This approach is distinct from detente, which describes broader easing of tensions with the Soviet Union; the Shanghai Communique is the specific 1972 joint statement that followed the thaw; and the Great Society refers to domestic programs in the U.S., not bilateral diplomacy.