American/Chinese Ping Pong Diplomacy: The Rematch Set For Nixon Library June 10,...

American/Chinese Ping Pong Diplomacy: The Rematch Set For Nixon Library June
10, 11, and 12, 2008

Table tennis exhibition featuring American and Chinese champions will serve as
a prologue to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing

YORBA LINDA, Calif., May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Richard Nixon
Library & Birthplace Foundation will present American/Chinese Ping Pong
Diplomacy: The Rematch, a historic sequel of the extraordinary 1971 and 1972
table tennis events between United States and Chinese table tennis teams that
became internationally known as "Ping Pong Diplomacy."

The three-day table tennis tournament, scheduled for Tuesday, June 10 through
Thursday, June 12, will be held at the Nixon Presidential Library and feature
greats from both countries. They'll take part in a series of table tennis
exhibitions, including instructional clinics for school age youngsters,
collegiate challenges, competitions against the public, and the official
Rematch of players from the original "Ping Pong Diplomacy" teams.

Festivities will occur in the Library's spectacular East Room, a full-size
replica of the White House East Room in Washington, D.C., considered America's
Grand Ballroom.

"We are privileged to welcome some of the brilliant architects of 'ping pong
diplomacy' to Yorba Linda as we remember the world-changing events of
1971-1972 and look forward to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing," said
John H. Taylor, Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation Executive
Director. "Like a great athletic contest, ties between great powers such as
the United States and China are fraught with tension, disappointment, and
triumph. Besides reminding people how this vital new relationship began, The
Rematch will be further evidence of how healthy state-to-state relations
should always be founded in thriving people-to-people relations."

The clinics, exhibitions and Rematch competition events will be under the
supervision of the USA Table Tennis (USATT), which has selected players to
represent the American side in Ping Pong Diplomacy: The Rematch.

Michael D. Cavanaugh, Interim CEO -- USATT, said: "Ping Pong Diplomacy will
aptly commemorate the significant role that the sport of Table Tennis has
played in United States-China relations. Just as in 1971 and 1972, the sport
remains one of the most powerful unifiers between two great nations."

Ping Pong Diplomacy

On April 6, 1971, while in Japan for the 31st World Table Tennis Championship,
the United States National Table Tennis Team was invited to China by Chinese
Premier Chou En-lai for an all expense paid visit. The U.S. team accepted,
and on April 10, 1971, nine players, team officials, and two spouses became
the first group of Americans to visit China since 1949. From April 11 - April
17, the U.S. team played against the Chinese team in a series of
internationally publicized table tennis exhibitions.

The 1971 China visit by the United States National Table Tennis Team served as
a prelude to President Nixon's February 1972 trip to China, when he became the
first American President to visit China. His historic journey paved the way
for the normalization of relations between the United States and China. "Ping
Pong Diplomacy" would continue in April 1972 when the Chinese National Table
Tennis Team joined President Nixon at the White House for matches in the Rose
Garden.

Ping Pong Diplomacy: The Rematch

Thirty-seven years after the events of 1971, the world will again focus its
attention on China, this time for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. As hundreds
of American and Chinese athletes prepare for the Games, it is appropriate to
commemorate the 37th anniversary of "Ping Pong Diplomacy" with a historic
Rematch at the home of America's 37th President.

A highlight of Ping Pong Diplomacy: The Rematch will be exciting competitions
between some of the original players, Tim Boggan and George Braithwaite who
played for the Americans, and Liang Geliang, a member of the original Chinese
team.

Representing USATT as Manager of the American Team, as well as a participating
player, will be Tawny Banh, a member of the U.S. Olympic table tennis teams in
2000 and 2004.

The Nixon Foundation invited USA Table Tennis (USATT) to assist in the
planning, staging, selection of players, and execution of the exhibition
competition, and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign
Countries (CPAFFC), which will be sending a formal delegation from China led
by Madame Li Xiaolin, CPAFFC Vice President.

Steve Bull, White House personal aide to Richard Nixon, and organizer of the
Chinese National Table Tennis Team's "Ping Pong Diplomacy" 1972 visit to the
White House and Rose Garden matches, and now Director of Government Relations
at the United States Olympic Committee in Washington, D.C., said: "On the eve
of perhaps the most important Olympic Games in its history, Ping Pong
Diplomacy: The Rematch will cast a light seen throughout the world on the 1971
and 1972 Table Tennis exchanges that led the way to opening relations between
the United States and the People's Republic of China."

The schedule of events includes:

TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2008OFFICIAL WELCOME EVENTS

9:30 AM American/ Chinese Teams arrive at Richard Nixon Presidential Library &
Museum for Welcome Ceremony around the Lobby Presidential Seal

10:00 AMLaying of wreaths at Memorials of President and Mrs. Nixon

10:15 AMEscorted tour of Library galleries, gardens, Birthplace, Presidential
Helicopter and Loker Center.

11:15 AMReception and Lunch

1:00 PMDepart Library for Orange County sightseeing

2:00 PMTourCasa Pacifica, in San Clemente, President and Mrs. Nixon's former
residence, served as the Western White House during the Nixon Administration.

6:00 PMOfficial Celebration Dinner Gala, featuring keynote remarks by General
Brent Scowcroft, who accompanied President Nixon on his historic trip to China
in 1972 and served as National Security Advisor to President Richard Nixon and
President George H. W. Bush.

Special Dinner entertainment featuring an exciting table tennis demonstration
between team members.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2008FUN & GAMES

Table Tennis events in the White House East Room

10:00 AMInstructional Youth Clinic (One hour)
-- Part 1: Lesson (30")
-- Rematch team players give table tennis lessons to school-age
players.

-- Part 2: The Practice (30")
-- 4 tables in East Room with youth participant queue line.
-- 1 US or Chinese player and 1 youth participant at each table.
-- Youth participants rotate.

11:00 AM Collegiate Challenge Qualifying Competition (30")
-- 2 USC players and 2 UCLA players on 2 tables
Bracket tournament style
Round 1 (30")
-- 1 USC v. 1 USC on 1 table
-- 1 UCLA v. 1 UCLA on 1 table
-- 1 winner of USC qualifying and 1 winner of UCLA qualifying left at the end
of the qualifying competition
-- Final Match (Part of Rematch program)
-- 1 USC v 1 UCLA on 1 table

11:30 PM Skills Exhibition (30")
-- US/Chinese players display skills and tricks on one table.
-- 3 players from US team and 3 players from Chinese team, 5 minutes
each.

12:00 PM "Challenge a Champ" Competition (One hour)
-- Visitors will have an opportunity to challenge a Chinese or American
champion.
-- $5 per challenge
-- Most points in 5 minutes wins

1:00 PM Events Conclude

Afternoon:Sightseeing to Hollywood

5:30 PMReception and Dinner, hosted by the Consul General of the Consulate of
the People's Republic of China in Los Angeles (Los Angeles location)

THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008THE REMATCH COMPETITIONS

The White House East Room

8:30 AM Arrival at Nixon Library
-- Player press availability

9:00 AMOpening Ceremony (20"), featuring Chinese and American performers,
introduction of the players, and VIP welcome remarks.

9:20 AM Youth Competition (30")
-- 1 singles match between two talented 15 year old girls (Best out of 5
games = first to win 3 games wins the match)

9:50 AM Collegiate Competition (30")
-- 1 singles match between qualifying players from USC and UCLA

10:20 AM Intermission (10")

10:30 AMThe Rematch Competition (2 hours)
-- Qiao Yunping v. Tawny Banh (Women's match)
-- 1 singles match (30")
-- Zhang Lei v. Khoa Nguyen
-- 1 singles match (30")
-- Song Shichao v. Mark Hazinski
-- 1 singles match (30")
-- Liang Geliang v. George Braithwaite (1971-'72 original team
members)
-- 1 singles match (30")

12:30 PM Farewell and Awards Ceremony (15")

12:45 PM Program Concludes

Ticket Information

VIP Ambassador Passports are $125 and include the welcome banquet featuring
General Scowcroft on June 10, VIP seat at The Rematch on June 12, a private
reception with the American and Chinese players and VIP dignitaries, admission
to the June 10 and 11 events, and one "Challenge a Champ" entry on Wednesday,
June 11.

Diplomat Passports are $35 and include one General Admission seat to The
Rematch on June 12, admission to June 11 events, and one "Challenge a Champ"
entry on Wednesday, June 11.

Consulate Passports are $10 and include admission to Day 2 events.
("Challenge a Champ" for $5 per match extra.)

For ticket sales information, please call 714/364-1162 or visit
http://www.nixonlibrary.org.

The privately financed Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation works to
promote President Nixon's legacy of peace and to support the Presidential
Library and Museum.

The federally funded Richard Nixon Library and Museum is part of the
Presidential libraries system administered by the National Archives and
Records Administration, a federal agency.

The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum is located at 18001 Yorba
Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, CA 92886, and is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
and Sundays 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

FOR ONGOING EVENT UPDATES: Visit online at http://www.nixonlibrary.org.

FOR EVENT COVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES: Contact Sandy Quinn, Assistant Director,
Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation, at (714) 364-1153 (w), (213) 215-5555
(c), sandy@nixonlibrary.org or Anthony Curtis, at (714) 364-1199 (w), (714)
420-2199 (c), anthony@nixonlibrary.org.

FOR TOURNAMENT AND EXHIBTION FORMAT INQUIRIES: Contact Michael D. Cavanaugh,
Interim CEO -- USA Table Tennis (USATT), at (719) 866-4583 ext. 3, or email at
mike.cavanaugh@usoc.org.

FOR UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Contact Stephen Bull, Director of
Government Relations, United States Olympic Committee, at (202) 466-3399.

CONTACT: Sandy Quinn
(714)364-1153
sandy@nixonlibrary.org

SOURCE Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation

Sandy Quinn of Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation, +1-714-364-1153,
sandy@nixonlibrary.org