How ping-pong diplomacy broke the mold

This will "definitely affect US interests and even have a political impact", Shi added.

Policy insiders from both nations are calling for the removal of barriers to people-to-people exchanges, which have been affected by their tense relationship.

In May, The Associated Press reported that after more than a decade of rapid growth, the number of Chinese visitors to the US had fallen for the first time in 15 years.

During a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Bangkok, the Thai capital, on Aug 1, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the two countries should expand cooperation in various fields and it was hoped that the US would facilitate, rather than create obstacles to, people-to-people exchanges between both nations.

Jan Berris, vice-president of the National Committee on US-China Relations, said, "I'm a strong believer in engagement and exchanges."

When Deng Xiaoping, the then-vice-premier, paid a symbolic visit to the US in February 1979, Berris was tasked with coordinating Chinese press activities. In the next four decades, she travelled to China more than 150 times.

"Despite the fact that the two governments don't have the best relationship at the moment, there can be — and there are — a great variety of exchanges going on at different levels that provide an opportunity for the Americans and the Chinese to learn about each other," she said.

Zhu Feng, dean of the School of International Relations at Nanjing University in Jiangsu province, said engaging more scholars and retired officials to embark on "track two" dialogues (unofficial discussions) could produce more in-depth, flexible and open debate, help boost contacts among think tanks, formulate policy advice and "avoid miscalculations on some major issues."

On Aug 16, the sound of ping-pong balls bouncing could be heard at the University of California's John Wooden Center in Los Angeles as the 58 members of the Chinese national team paid a 20-day visit to train with players from Team USA as trade tensions continued between the two countries.

Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, said: "It's the 48th anniversary of ping-pong diplomacy, so a strong foundation has been jointly developed by several generations of Chinese and American table tennis players and officials.

I think our friendship and the spirit of ping-pong diplomacy will continue."

Liu Yinming in Los Angeles contributed to this story