This J-term course marked a new return to China after a three-year COVID-19 hiatus. It became one of the most highly publicized, Sino-American, people-to-people engagements in recent years. Our unconventional J-term included media coverage, engaging sessions with academics and officials, and culinary delights across Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai.

This opportunity was realized through a bilateral U.S.-China initiative, a continuation of the November 2023 meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden, aiming to strengthen people-to-people exchanges.

The dynamic nature of U.S.-China relations resembles a muscle, alternating between atrophy during downturns and gaining strength through increased people-to-people exchange. Seeking to enhance this "muscle memory," the UVA students aimed to encourage studying abroad and influence more Americans to engage with China.

People-to-people exchanges serve as the bedrock for higher levels of diplomacy. These micro-exchanges demonstrate political bandwidth, societal willingness, and understanding, crucial in alleviating misunderstandings and mistrust. It strengthens the muscle to take on heavier lifting. While not a panacea for international conflicts, such exchanges represent the vital first step towards fostering common understanding. And friendship is enhanced through understanding.

What is significant about ping pong itself is its ability to bring people together. Unlike many other sports, ping pong lends itself to conversation because of the proximity and dynamic of players. It is a game anyone can enjoy. Sports diplomacy has the unique ability to mollify relations, occasionally surpassing the ability of traditional diplomatic channels.

Encouraging the breakdown of cultural and political barriers is crucial. Rather than erecting artificial obstacles, taking the higher road involves building bridges through common ground, such as playing ping pong. Moreover, ping pong is played on a rules-based system, in good faith and common understanding.

During this J-term, we played in goodwill alongside our Chinese counterparts, building trust and leading to new bridges in diplomatic exchange. With a laid-out set of common rules, we created a strong foundation for the blossoming of friendships, compassion, trust, newfound commonality, and healthy competition. Many of us did not speak the same language or practice the same culture to enjoy and learn the game of ping-pong. What I learned from playing this fun, yet competitive game in China can be extrapolated to the real world; in international relations.
 
The effects of these two powers and their relationship permeate all walks of life. Establishing small links between the countries form the fabric of the broader relationship, and this should be encouraged at all societal levels, not limited to those with the means to travel or live abroad. The intricate and complex relationship between the United States and China holds immense significance in terms of the global economy and security. My father's diplomatic assignment as an economic officer in China was a result of the growing economic interdependence between the two countries.

Understanding the transnational flows of power, especially between the two top economic powerhouses, reveals why an American born in China is more than just a surprising fact—it involves utilizing the sociological imagination to comprehend how larger social and economic structures impact the daily lives of ordinary people from both countries.

To gain a better understanding of interdependence, I strongly encourage Americans, especially college students, to visit this culturally rich nation. When I was born in 2005, the number of American students in Chinese universities was 4,737 in the 2003-2004 school year. However, this year the number has dwindled to a mere 350. This decline in student exchange foreshadows a downward trend in academic collaboration, jeopardizing understanding, knowledge, and advancements in both countries. The decline in academic exchange may seem inconsequential, but it represents a tangible loss in academic richness for
China and the United States.

Face-to-face interaction is also critical, especially with the current transnational atmosphere. It is hard, maybe impossible to develop empathy, solidarity, or commonality over a phone screen blaring with the media’s sensationalism. Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of China and US-China relations go beyond reading opinion pieces or special reports. Experiencing the country firsthand and seeing the world through the Chinese people's eyes is essential.

Going back taught me this — international diplomacy is about building one relationship at a time. There is no other way to replicate the deep satisfaction in building a bridge to another country and culture without visiting for oneself, and in China, maybe even engaging in a friendly game of ping pong.

-- Misa Layne