Ping pong brings teens across the Strait together

A table tennis competition took place at Shanghai Qibao High School on Monday among teenagers from the city and Taiwan, a prelude to the opening of the 2024 Cross-Strait Youth Vitality Carnival on Friday.

Xiao Zilin from Shanghai Wenlai Middle School said she was glad to play table tennis with her peers from Taiwan.

"My mom was a ping pong referee at the Paris Olympics and she brought back a lot of souvenirs," she said.

"I would like to share the gifts with my new friends from Taiwan."

Wang Yun-zhuw represented Changhua Art High School of Taiwan and said she was impressed by the performance of the ping pong players from the Chinese mainland during the Olympics, especially gold medalists Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng.

"I hope to learn different table tennis skills from the Shanghai students in this event," she said.

Former world champion Wang Liqin appeared at the event to start the competition and autograph items for students.

More such exchanges will take place during the carnival, which is hosted by the Shanghai Association for the Promotion of Cross-Strait Exchanges, the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, the Shanghai Association of Taiwan-Invested Enterprises, and the Shanghai Taiwan Compatriots Exchange Promotion Center.

It will feature 13 exciting events covering sports, culture, music, and services.

The carnival, set to unfold through late August, is the first of its kind and a highlight of the "Shanghai Summer" campaign. The main events will take place at Shanghai World Expo Huangpu Sports Park.