‘Ping-pong diplomacy’

Beijing Gym, located near the Temple of Heaven, held a ping-pong competition among foreign diplomats yesterday.

Organized by the Maldives Embassy in China, the event attracted nearly 100 participants from 37 embassies and international organizations, including Russian, Australian, Pakistani and Indian embassies, as well as the United Nations Population Fund.

Interview ：Ahmed Latheef，Ambassador Embassy of the Republic of Maldives

The contest included team matches, singles for men and women, as well as a match between the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a team of foreign diplomats.

Interview ：Dr. Bernard Coquelin，United National Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative

Interview ：Gonzalo Vivas，Minister Counsellor Embassy of Venezuela

Russian embassy became the biggest winner claiming the team championship title, as well as taking first and second places in the men’s singles.

Being the second of its kind, this year’s ping-pong match marked the celebration of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

The first tournament, initiated and organized by the Maldives embassy in China, was held last year highlighting the 50-day countdown to the 2008 Olympic Games.

（News story by Liu Shanshan; video by Cong Fangjun)