Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and British ambassador to China William Ehrman tested their skills with Chinese ping-pong queen Deng Yaping at the ministry's building yesterday.

Though they were beaten, as expected, the 120 participants applauded them at the ministry's second open day, "Chinese Diplomacy, Beijing Olympics". Yang and Ehrman played the game to appeal for greater sportsmanship and less politics.

Greek ambassador Michael Cambanis, too, was supposed to play but couldn't because he wasn't feeling well. Ambassadors of past and future Olympic host nations had been especially invited to the event. "We should avoid mixing politics with sports," Cambanis said. For example, when we held the Athens Games we faced a similar pollution problem (like Beijing)."

Even compared to the skepticism against Athens' organization capability, the pressure on Beijing is immense, Cambanis said. "But I still think the 2008 Olympics will be the best."

Ehrman corroborated Cambanis, saying London will learn many a thing from Beijing's experience to prepare for a better Games in 2012.

While diplomats want to exclude politics from sport, some reminded China to focus on the Games as a whole instead of just counting the medals. Former world speed-skating champion Ye Qiaobo said: "Winning medals should not be the only goal of Chinese athletes at the Games. To host the Olympics in itself is very honorable."