Ritual, Discourse, and Interaction: Shanghai’s Reception of Latin American Sports Delegations and the Construction of China’s National Image, 1958–1966

Between 1958 and 1966, Shanghai employed sports diplomacy to influence Latin American interpretations of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The reception of Latin American sports delegations functioned as a form of diplomatic performance through which municipal authorities translated national foreign policy objectives into local practice. Three interrelated dimensions structured this process: ritual performance, discursive framing, and technical interaction. Ritual practices communicated political respect and symbolic order; curated itineraries and guided interpretations directed visitors toward selected representations of socialist development and social transformation; and technical exchanges, including matches, training session and coaching interactions, generated credibility through shared sporting experience and interpersonal engagement. Together, these practices sought not only to challenge anti-communist perceptions of China but also to situate China’s revolutionary experience within the PRC’s broader efforts to promote anti-imperialist solidarity during the Cold War. Shanghai served as an important site of people-to-people diplomacy where sports exchanges enabled the PRC to cultivate informal relationships, shape foreign perceptions, and communicate political priorities beyond formal diplomatic channels.