Once a tool for diplomacy, table tennis now viewed by China as so much more (commentary by Tyler Jost)
Tyler Jost provided commentary in this article stating, "I think that for the Party, demonstrating excellence at the [Olympics] showcases how far China has come as a nation, and the kind of achievements that it has made. From that perspective, it is a kind of signal of its improved international status."
August 6, 2021 NBC News