At the end of the matches, Negroponte was given a small gift — autographed pingpong paddles — by Liang Geliang, one of the original Chinese team members, who told reporters later that he hoped the "U.S.-China relationship would continue in the future."
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, center, and China Vice Foreign Minister Wang...
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, center, and China Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya, right, watches a game played by Qi Baoxiang of China against Judy Bochenski Hoarfrost from the U.S., unseen, during a commemorative table tennis match marking China's invitation to a U.S. table tennis team to visit in 1971, Known as "pingpong diplomacy," in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. John Negroponte met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday to commemorate 30 years of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries. Hoarfrost was a member of the 1971 U.S. table tennis team. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, POOL)
(AP)
Then Negroponte headed to private discussions with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
"Looking back, there have been some twists and turns in this relationship, but the China-U.S. relationship has on the whole moved forward," Yang said.
U.S. observers say the most serious strain came with China's 1989 crackdown on student-led pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. Hundreds are believed to have been killed, and a horrified U.S. backed away from — but did not entirely break ties with — the communist country. Taiwan, Tibet and human rights are also sources of tension.
As relations with China improved, Washington cut diplomatic ties with Beijing's rival Taiwan, although it continues to maintain close informal relations with the self-governing island, providing it with armaments to counter Chinese threats.
Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing considers Taiwan a part of its territory and countries must choose which capital to recognize.
In the decades since ties were established, U.S.-China contacts have expanded in several fields, from booming economic ties and student exchanges to close consultation on international issues, such as North Korea's nuclear program and climate change.
More than 81,000 Chinese students were studying at U.S. colleges and universities in the 2007-2008 academic year, according to Institute of International Education figures released in November. More than 11,000 American students were studying in China.
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