On December 23, the 2023 Euton Cup China-Europe Table Tennis Invitational Tournament was held in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Nearly one hundred players from China, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and other European countries participated in the Youth, Adult, and professional categories. Zhao Deyong, Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, and Stefan Heijnis, Vice Chairman of the Dutch Table Tennis Association, attended the competition and presented awards to the winners.
Charge d’affaires Zhao Deyong said in his speech at the award ceremony that table tennis is the most loved and the most popular sport in China. Meanwhile it is more than just a sport for China, and the rest of the world. The Ping-pong diplomacy between China and the United States 52 years ago changed the world. Today’s world is facing unprecedented challenges, and dialogue, mutual understanding, and international cooperation are the only solution. There is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and Europe, the consensus far outweighs the differences, and sports transcend national boundaries. We must inherit and carry forward the spirit of Ping-pong diplomacy of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving differences.
He said that the Netherlands is the gateway of China-EU cooperation, and relations between China and the Netherlands have maintained a sound momentum. Bilateral exchanges in various fields have fully restarted after the pandemic and exports from the Netherlands to China have increased rapidly, demonstrating the huge potential of cooperation between the two countries. Starting from December 1 this year, Dutch citizens can visit China without a visa and stay for 15 days. 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of an open, pragmatic, and comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and the Netherlands. He is full of confidence in the future of Sino-Dutch relations.
Stefan Heinis, Vice Chairman of the Dutch Table Tennis Association, welcomes table tennis enthusiasts from other European countries to the Netherlands to compete, hoping to strengthen exchanges with all parties and enjoy the fun of sports.
This competition is title-sponsored by Euton Group, which has actively sponsored Sino-Dutch cultural and sports activities and sports clubs for many years, aiming to assume social responsibility and promote friendship between China and the Netherlands (Europe). Jojo Lu, chairwoman of Euton Group, attended the award ceremony and presented trophies and bonuses to the first, second and third runners-up of the professional group.
Dong Li, the person in charge of the organizing committee of this competition, was invited to have a friendly match with player representatives at the finals. She is a former member of the Chinese national team and has been committed to the promotion of table tennis and Sino-European sports and cultural exchanges for many years.
She said that table tennis is a popular sport among European people. This competition attracted many outstanding European players to participate, including 24 players who have reached the professional level of European Table Tennis Federation points.
Fierce competition on the spot
