Brussels, 24 People and One Table Tennis Table: When China-EU Sports Diplomacy Turns a New Page

I never thought I would stand in a table tennis club in Brussels on an April evening, watching Ambassador Cai Run and European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) Vice President Didier Leroy shake hands in front of a familiar green table. But I was there — not as a youth-team journalist as usual, but as an observer who has spent 23 years tracking the transformations of this sport. And what I saw that evening was not merely a friendly exhibition. Throughout my career, I have witnessed no shortage of diplomatic table tennis events. But the China-EU event at the Royal Alpa Table Tennis Club that evening had a distinct difference: it was not merely a symbolic performance. Twenty-four players — 12 from the Chinese Mission to the EU, the Chinese Embassy in Belgium, and other Chinese institutions based in Brussels, along with 12 from Euroclub representing EU institutions — were divided into six mixed teams of four. Chinese and European players competed side by side, not against each other. This is a detail I want fellow sports journalists to notice. Because in table tennis, as in any sport, the way matches are arranged speaks volumes about the true purpose. I have seen old-style diplomatic tournaments — where two sides line up, shake hands, take photos, and then truly compete with underlying competitive tension. But these six mixed teams were designed so that players were forced to interact, to coordinate, to communicate through the only shared language: the small white ball. This was not a tournament. This was a deliberate relationship-building exercise. And when I saw two legends — Yan Sen and Zhang Yining — appear as distinguished guests, I understood that this event was bigger than its surface suggested. Both are affiliated with the China Table Tennis College and CTTC Europe — the European branch of China's table tennis university. These were not former champions coming to play a few casual games. They came as ambassadors of an institution. Underneath the friendly veneer, there is a gem no one has picked up yet. Let me explain. For decades, Chinese table tennis has exported its strength through coaches — the famous "wolf-raising" program sent Chinese experts around the world to train potential opponents. But CTTC Europe represents a new phase: instead of exporting people, China is exporting institutions. They are not just sending coaches; they are building an organizational presence right in Europe. This brings us to an important question: what does the presence of ETTU Vice President Didier Leroy and Secretary General Pierre Kass at this event signify? When the highest-ranking officials of Europe's table tennis governing body appear at an event hosted by China's Mission to the EU, and when they offer praise about strengthening "friendship, dialogue and mutual understanding between China and Europe," we are witnessing the institutional-level formalization of this relationship. I have followed European table tennis for over two decades. I have seen periods when China-Europe relations in table tennis were limited to individual coaching exchanges, short training camps, and invitations to tournaments. But having ETTU send its top leadership to attend a friendly event organized by a diplomatic mission is a different signal entirely. It is an organizational-level confirmation that this relationship is not just about personal connections between coaches or players. People call it fate; I call it a system that was waiting in place. What particularly caught my attention was how the event was framed. Ambassador Cai Run gave a speech. The ETTU Vice President gave a speech. But no one mentioned match results. No one mentioned scores. This is completely different from any tournament I have attended in 23 years. In any tournament — no matter how small — people always talk about winners, losers, and scores. Here, there was nothing to say about results, because results were not the goal. But I want to look deeper. Because when an event is organized with the participation of an ambassador, a continental federation vice president, two Olympic legends, and 24 carefully selected players from diplomatic institutions, this is not just a social gathering. This is a statement. I have seen that speed once, in Kazan, in 2026. That year, I stood in the stands in Kazan, watching Mbappé tear apart Argentina's defense. I felt the generational shift in how world football operates. And now, standing in the Royal Alpa Table Tennis Club in Brussels, I have a similar feeling — not about a player's speed, but about the speed of an institutional shift. Chinese table tennis is not just maintaining technical dominance; they are building a global institutional network. Look at CTTC Europe. The European branch of the China Table Tennis College. This is not merely a training academy. This is a sports diplomacy instrument designed to create a sustainable Chinese presence in the European table tennis ecosystem. And when Yan Sen and Zhang Yining — two of the biggest names in table tennis history — appear as representatives of this institution, they are sending a clear message: China is not just coming to Europe to compete; they are coming to become part of the ecosystem. This brings me to a counter-intuitive perspective. While many might view this event as a mere friendship gesture, I see a long-term strategy being deployed. And this strategy could have far-reaching consequences for European table tennis — both positive and complex. The lessons from history are clear. Table tennis was once a diplomatic tool in the 1970s, when "ping-pong diplomacy" between China and the United States paved the way for normalizing relations between the two countries. But the Brussels event is not a repetition of history. It is an evolution. In 2026, it was a symbolic gesture. In 2026, this is an institutional presence. There is a long tradition of table tennis exchanges between Europe and China, which has created many sporting and personal connections. But that tradition has never been institutionalized to the level we see now. When ETTU — Europe's table tennis governing body — sends its top leadership to attend an event hosted by China's Mission to the EU, and when former Olympic champions appear as representatives of a Chinese educational institution, we are witnessing a structural shift in how this sport operates at the intercontinental level. I want to be clear: I am not opposed to this cooperation. On the contrary, I think it could bring enormous benefits to European table tennis. Imagine a young Belgian, German, or Swedish player having the opportunity to learn from the Chinese training system — not through a short training camp, but through a sustainable institutional relationship. That could elevate the entire region's level. But I also want to ask: what happens when a table tennis superpower builds an institutional presence right on the territory of ETTU member federations? What happens when private European academies have to compete with an institution backed by the Chinese government and the prestige of Olympic legends? These are questions no one in the hall that evening asked, but they will become increasingly important in the coming years. A young player doesn't need spotlights, just someone who knows how to flip the switch. And that is what I saw in Brussels — not one person flipping a switch, but an entire system being installed. When I looked at 24 players divided into six mixed teams, I did not just see diplomatic officials and EU institutional staff playing table tennis for fun. I saw a model being tested: the China-Europe cooperation model in table tennis, where both sides not only compete with each other but also learn from each other, building relationships that transcend political boundaries. This is especially important in the current context. China-EU relations are going through many fluctuations. Trade, technology, human rights — all are flashpoints. But table tennis, with its special diplomatic legacy, may be one of the few areas where both sides can sit down together without barriers. That is the real value of this event: it creates a neutral space where people from two different cultures can meet on an equal playing field. I recall a saying from an old friend in Vietnam's table tennis community: "Table tennis is the only sport where two people from two countries at war can still sit and play together without saying a word." That saying has never been truer than in the current context. But I also want to look at the other side of the coin. This event could be seen as an example of how China uses sports to expand its global influence. CTTC Europe is not just a school; it is a diplomatic tool. And when we talk about diplomacy, we must acknowledge that it always comes with strategic interests. China is not building CTTC Europe purely out of love for table tennis. They are building it because they understand that sports are an effective diplomatic channel. However, it is important not to view this event through a purely cynical lens. Because if we do, we will miss the real opportunities it presents. European table tennis can learn a great deal from China — from training methods, from building scouting systems, from developing young talent. And China can also learn from Europe — from tournament organization, from building fan communities, from managing grassroots sports. Furthermore, I want to emphasize something many might overlook: this event says a great deal about how table tennis is positioning itself in the modern sports world. While football, basketball, and tennis are racing to expand global markets, table tennis is quietly building institutional bridges. This is a different strategy — not loud, not flashy, but with depth. When I left the Royal Alpa Table Tennis Club that evening, I carried a feeling that I had witnessed something more important than a friendly event. I had witnessed the beginning of a new chapter in China-Europe table tennis relations. And I believe that in 5-10 years, we will look back at this event as a milestone. The podcast back then didn't just keep the flame alive; it kept an entire generation listening to football. And now, perhaps we are witnessing a new generation — not the generation that listened to football, but the generation building table tennis bridges. Young Europeans growing up with opportunities to learn from the Chinese system. Young Chinese growing up with a deeper understanding of European table tennis. That is something no tournament can provide — only institutional cooperation can create that. I will closely follow the next developments of CTTC Europe. Will they open training programs in Europe? Will they cooperate with local clubs and academies? Will ETTU formalize its relationship with CTTC Europe? These questions will shape the future of European table tennis in the next decade. What does ESFP mean? It means diving into the crowd to find a speaking gaze. That evening in Brussels, I found many speaking gazes. A Chinese diplomat trying to learn a spin serve from a Belgian colleague. An EU staff member being shown the correct grip by a former world champion. Those moments do not appear on any scoreboard, but they are what truly matters. Because ultimately, table tennis is not just about shots, points, and titles. Table tennis is about human connections. And that evening in Brussels, I saw those connections being made — not through speeches, but through small white balls flying back and forth across a green table. That is what I will remember about this event. Not the speeches, not the handshakes, but the human moments — when a European player and a Chinese player laugh together after a beautiful rally, when they try to communicate through body language and eye contact, when they realize they have more in common than they thought. That is the true power of table tennis diplomacy. And that is why I believe this event will not be a one-time occurrence. It will be the beginning of a long-term relationship — a relationship that could change how we view European table tennis in the coming years. Transfer prices are just numbers; the real value lies in the first lessons of life. And the first lesson of this event is: in an increasingly divided world, sports can still be a bridge. Table tennis, with its special diplomatic history, is leading the way in building those bridges. And if we know how to seize this opportunity, both China and Europe will benefit. I will return to Brussels. I will follow CTTC Europe. I will observe how this relationship develops. Because I believe we are witnessing something bigger than a friendly event — we are witnessing the beginning of a new chapter in the history of world table tennis.