On February 3, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco Zhang Jianmin and his wife Zheng Xin attended “Prelude to the Spring Festival · The World Watches the CMG GALA Together” and commemoration of the 55th Anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy. The event was held at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington state, and was organized by China Media Group，the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Chinese Table Tennis Association. Nearly 500 representatives from local communities attended, including the Mayor of Tacoma, faculty and students of Lincoln High School, and members of the 1971 U.S. table tennis delegation to China.

In his remarks, Consul General Zhang recalled the historic legacy of ping-pong diplomacy and stressed that China and U.S. should carry it forward, promoting bilateral ties along the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation as put forward by President Xi Jinping. Zhang extended Spring Festival greetings for the Year of the Horse, invoked the horse’s symbolism of vitality, progress and courage in Chinese culture, and called on the U.S. side to work with the Chinese side to overcome obstacles, deepen understanding, and create a better future for the two countries and the world.