Let's play Ping Pong

Ping Pong is a fun sport. You only need some relatively inexpensive equipments and find a table. It doesn't require a lot of space like baseball or basketball. It is easier to find just 1 other player to play than find a full team to play. You don't need to run a lot to chase the ball throughout the game either. However, it is deceptively difficult to master all that spins and slams to play well.

It is also a powerful diplomatic tool. See here for details. It opened pathway for China to start talking to other countries and building relationships. Perhaps you saw the scene in Forest Gump playing ping pong with a big picture of Mao in the background.

China is using this to talk to Japan now, http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/06/japan-china.html. Besides ping pong, China also sends pandas to whoever to lighten up relationships.

I saw president Hu play ping pong on TV! He is GOOD! He slammed the ball hard! Even against some top Japanese players!

Waita minute, his opponents seem to hit the ball high so he can slam. His opponents didn't use all that spin tricks. They LET him win. Of course, you want the president to look good on TV.

Ping Pong diplomacy is a simple yet powerful diplomacy tool because it is a sport that everyone can play. The goal of diplomacy is to set a common ground isn't it? If diplomacy only involves top government officials and their translators on both sides of a LONG table it is hard to have a common ground. Establish some common ground, then start talking the real issues.

This is what the olympics SHOULD be about. What do people all over the world have common? Physical ability. All countries get together and participate peacefully. Yes it is big show off of resources you invested in the atheletes and the hosting country's architecture ability too. I hope no one will mess up the olympics with protests and other violence.

Application: perhaps you can resolve co-worker differences with common ground, perhaps over a cup of coffee.