Ping pong friendship: World champion Ma Long stars cross-straits event

In a heartwarming display of cross-straits sportsmanship, Olympic table tennis champion Ma Long has captivated China's Taiwan during his ongoing visit.

The Chinese athlete's tour, organized by the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, has seen crowds of fans, particularly young people, lining up for autographs and selfies. Ma Long's visit has ignited a renewed sense of cross-straits friendship and understanding.

Ma Long, a household name in the world of table tennis, has proven to be equally popular on Taiwan Island. During his nine-day tour, the Olympic gold medalist visited universities, schools and cultural landmarks, where he was greeted with an outpouring of affection and admiration.

At Chengchi University, students eagerly awaited Ma Long's arrival, hoping to get his autograph. The university's ping pong team expressed gratitude for Ma Long's visit, vowing to preserve the signed paddle as a treasured possession. Similar scenes unfolded at Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School and the Taipei Palace Museum, where fans, young and old, gathered in large numbers, with some shouting, "Don't retire!" "Bring other champions here, too!"

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, told the media that "we should play ping pong, not war." Mainland media said this sentiment has resonated deeply with people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, who yearn for peace and cooperation.

As an athlete and a student at Beijing Sport University, Ma Long has been a powerful symbol for youth exchange across the straits. He expressed his hope that his visit would foster greater understanding and trust between young people on both sides.

"I look forward to having a good exchange with young friends and students in Taiwan so that we can better understand and trust each other," Ma Long told CGTN.

Ma Long is one of a group of students from colleges on the Chinese mainland who were invited by the foundation to visit the island for nine days, beginning on November 27.

In 2023 and 2024, Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, also led youth groups from Taiwan on visits to the mainland.