GUIYANG, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Players from China and Southeast Asia tapped paddles across the net as a two-day pickleball tournament aimed at promoting exchanges among young people concluded in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

The 2026 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week Pickleball Invitational, held on October 1-2 in Guiyang, attracted more than 120 athletes from China and ASEAN countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

It was the first time pickleball had been included as a sports exchange activity during the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, which has been held for more than a decade.

Pornchanok Tonusin, a player from Khon Kaen University in Thailand, took up pickleball about three months ago. She said the sport has become popular in Thailand, with students of different ages learning to play.

"The competition allows for fast exchanges and the chance to try many different styles," Tonusin said.

She added that pickleball also offered an easy way for players from different countries to connect.

"It is a sport that fosters friendship and helps more people get to know each other," she said.

Chen Wenyi, director of the Secretariat Office of the China-ASEAN Education Week Organizing Committee, said organizers hoped to use sport to strengthen ties among young people from China and Southeast Asia.

"Sports are a universal language that goes beyond words," Chen said.

Thai team coach Jeelachat Permpoonprom said the tournament provided another platform for exchanges between Thailand and China.

"The close relationship between China and Thailand can be further consolidated through sports events, especially the increasingly popular pickleball competitions," he said.

Liu Xinrui, a student competitor from Wuhan University of Technology, said pickleball made it easy for Chinese and ASEAN players to compete and communicate.

"I hope that more multinational pickleball exchanges and competitions will be held in the future," Liu said. ■

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