Latest news with #Communist-controlled
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Deseret News archives: ‘Ping-pong diplomacy' took center stage in 1971
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives. On April 10, 1971, the U.S. table tennis team arrived in China at the invitation of the communist government for a goodwill visit that came to be known as 'ping-pong diplomacy.' That year, nine players from the U.S. Table Tennis team took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit the country in decades. Following the 1949 Chinese revolution, there had been no diplomatic ties, limited trade and few contacts between the United States and China. Their trip was the start of what became known as 'ping-pong diplomacy' and helped lay the groundwork for establishing official diplomatic relations between the United States and China. Ping-pong diplomacy also led to improved people-to-people understanding and cultural exchange. According to historical accounts, the U.S. team was at the 1971 World Table Tennis Championship in Nagoya, Japan, when an encounter between Glenn Cowan of the U.S. team and Zhuang Zedong of the Chinese team became an international sensation. Cowan had missed his bus following practice and boarded the Chinese team's bus. Zhuang approached the American, shaking his hand and offering him a depiction of the Huangshan Mountains on a piece of silk cloth. When they exited the bus, journalists snapped photos of the two together. Two days later, the U.S. team received an official invitation to travel to China and play exhibition matches against the Chinese team. The United States accepted the invitation and everyone rushed to make arrangements. U.S. Department of State consular officials in Japan, in advance of the team's onward journey to China, made a simple but profound change to their passports. On the page warning travelers of legal penalties 'for travel to or in Communist-controlled portions' of the listed countries, the officials simply took a black marker and carefully crossed-out 'China.' The headlines in the Deseret News in in mid-April followed the daily interactions with the American athletes. 'Tennis players in Red China' 'Small hope opens in Red China Wall' 'Table tennis team will talk with China' In 1972, U.S. President Richard Nixon made a trip to China. Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about the trip and diplomacy with China: 'Was Mao monster or Chinese hero?' 'Mao mementos a click away' 'Nixon's visit to China 20 years ago changed history' 'Soccer may help smooth ties between U.S., China' 'Qatar outreach widens with ping pong 'diplomacy'' 'Deseret News archives: Nixon's trip to China concluded with a promise and a couple of pandas'
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Trump Administration's Voice Of America Cuts Hand China And Russia A Win
Speech In a troubling development for global freedom, the Trump administration has moved to dismantle America's international broadcasting networks—a decision that alarmingly undermines our national security and abandons those fighting for liberty across the world. The legendary institutions being shuttered—Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks—have served as truth-tellers to millions living under authoritarian regimes in China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and beyond. These networks, operating under the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), have been essential weapons in America's soft-power arsenal for decades. When I was privileged to lead the oversight agency for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty from 1985 to 1993, I witnessed firsthand how these broadcasts, which were specifically tailored for each country behind the Iron Curtain, provided a critical alternative to the Communist-controlled media, as well as an outlet for clandestine writings of dissidents. When asked about Radio Free Europe's impact in winning the Cold War, Polish freedom fighter Lech Walesa responded with stunning clarity: "What is the earth without the sun?" These weren't merely news outlets—they were lifelines of truth that helped topple Communist regimes across Eastern Europe. Today's authoritarians understand what's at stake. Beijing erupted in fury when Radio Free Asia exposed its ethnic cleansing of Uyghurs and COVID coverups. Putin and Xi are undoubtedly celebrating these shutdowns. For tyrants, maintaining an information monopoly is crucial to retaining power. The elimination of these networks, including The Open Technology Fund that helps people circumvent internet censorship, comes at precisely the wrong moment. Our values and security face challenges not seen since the darkest days of the Cold War. While we're drowning in information here at home, millions worldwide struggle to access unfiltered truth—which is why China employs millions to censor its internet. Yes, these institutions needed fundamental reform. Over recent years, many aspects of these networks seriously lost their way. But obliterating them entirely represents destructive foolishness of the highest order. Once dismantled, these capabilities will prove extraordinarily difficult to rebuild. During my tenure with RFE/RL, the State Department frequently complained that our broadcasts complicated their diplomacy with Communist governments. That was precisely the point. When authoritarian leaders howl about these broadcasts, it signals their effectiveness. America must not disarm itself in this critical global battle of ideas. The USAGM and its networks deserve to be revitalized, not eliminated, for the crucial fight that lies ahead.
