China has used sports as an essential tool of diplomacy. Ping pong, for instance, broke the ice between China and the United States. 

In this episode of Changing China, Jaime FlorCruz takes another trip down memory lane, explaining how sports was utilized to break animosity between countries, build cultural friendships and foster cooperation. 

Opening up to the outside world through sports has been one of the many changes the People's Republic of China has seen since its founding in 1949. 

FlorCruz first arrived in the country from the Philippines in 1971 for a three-week study tour. Due to the worsening political situation back home, he got stuck in China, and went on to become a journalist for TIME magazine and CNN, covering China's highs and lows for over 30 years.

In this special CGTN series entitled "Changing China," he looks back at some changes he's witnessed throughout the years.