U.S. team goes to China

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32578, 12 April 1971, Page 1

U.S. team goes to China

(N. Z. P. A.-Reuter— Cop yri(j h t) LO WU BORDER STATION (Hong Kong), April 11 A 22-year-old ban on official visits to Communist China by United States reporters fell today when three Americans crossed the border en route to Peking to cover a tour of the United States table tennis team, the Associated Press reported. The Americans and six other correspondents —

German, British and Japanese—walked across the covered bridge on the Hong Kong-China frontier at 10.45 a.m. They travelled by train to Canton and then flew to Peking.

The 15-member table tennis delegation arrived in Peking last night—and that marked the first time such a United States group has been granted entry to China since the Communists gained power

United Press International reported that a traditional breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs opened the week’s visit for the table tennis team today.

Chinese table tennis representatives met the team on arrival in Peking last night and girl airport employees performed a welcoming ballet The party then went to the Hsin Chiao (New Home) Hotel.

Earlier in the day, at Canton, the Americans were taken to a huge estate for a 10-course dinner and a conducted tour of the huge estate’s 1000-year-old pagoda and buildings housing Chinese paintings and other works of art

The Chinese permitted the Americans to walk freely about the estate and take photographs.

People on the streets waved to the Americans during a drive through the city. The Associated Press reported from Taipei that the Nationalist Chinese Government condemned Peking for issuing the invitation to the team as a “political plot.” A Foreign Ministry spokesman said it was regrettable that the “plot had again received encouragement from the United States.”