ping-pong diplomacy

Ping-pong diplomacy refers to the use of cultural or athletic exchanges to thaw diplomatic relations between nations.

The term originated from the 1971 table tennis matches between American and Chinese players that helped reopen communication between the two countries after decades of hostility.

More broadly, it describes any informal, low-stakes engagement used to ease political tensions: The chess tournament was a kind of ping-pong diplomacy between the rival states.