A participant practises in a training session of table tennis in Ankara, Türkiye, on Jan. 6, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's dominance in table tennis, built on disciplined training and innovation, offers a useful reference for Türkiye as it looks to raise its level in the sport, said Kerim Koc, the president of the Turkish Table Tennis Federation.

"Table tennis is becoming much more popular globally, and it has also been growing steadily in our country for many years," Koc told Xinhua in a recent interview, saying the sport has increasingly captured public attention in Türkiye.

Koc said table tennis has long been part of everyday life in the country, particularly through schools and student dormitories, adding that recent progress at the elite level has lifted its profile.

With the federation's efforts, improved international results by Turkish athletes and growing media coverage, "the sport has become far more visible than before," he said.

Koc said China remains central to Türkiye's development strategy, describing it as the world's leading force in the sport. He noted that Türkiye has had years of cooperation with China.

"We are actually not distant from Chinese table tennis. In past years, Chinese coaches stayed in Türkiye for long periods," he said.

"Our contact with China is ongoing, and of course we would like to strengthen this communication even more," he said, adding that China's rise is evident not only in sports but also economically.

Türkiye already holds training camps in China during parts of the year, Koc said, but closer cooperation would bring greater benefits.

"We go to China periodically for training camps, and we stay in touch with them. Naturally, we would like to work much more closely and be invited into their own camps," he said.

"China is among the foremost countries in this field. With its world-class discipline and work ethic, China sets an example for us in many respects," he said.

Koc highlighted differences in training intensity and discipline.

"China's system is somewhat different from ours, and discipline is at the forefront," he said. "When we go to China, we see that they can train three times a day. In Türkiye, we consider one or two training sessions a day to be good."

He said cooperation also continues through exchanges between coaches, including those who previously worked in Türkiye.

"From time to time, we request training camp videos from our Chinese friends and coaches for educational purposes," he said, adding that such cooperation could be expanded.

Koc said China also leads innovation in the sport.

"We can say that almost all innovations in world table tennis originate in China," he said, referring to playing styles and tactical approaches that often emerge first from Chinese players and coaches.

Türkiye closely monitors those developments, he said, aiming to narrow the gap through sustained effort and reform.

He also described structural differences, particularly China's integration of education with high-performance training.

"When we go to China, we see that they have moved schooling into the training centers," he said.

"They establish camp centers where athletes attend classes for a couple of hours and then return to training. Türkiye needs to move toward this system," according to him.

China-based training camps play a key role in Türkiye's athlete development strategy, Koc said.

"In the summer, we go to camps in China and are able to send hundreds of athletes there, selecting our most promising players," he said.

While Turkish athletes also train elsewhere, he said China remains the most productive destination.

"We send our athletes to many countries, but camps in China are more productive and more valuable."

Looking ahead, Koc said Türkiye hopes for deeper, more institutionalized cooperation, including coach education programs. He added that past collaborations have helped build "a bridge of goodwill" between Türkiye and China. ■

A participant practises in a training session of table tennis in Ankara, Türkiye, on Jan. 6, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

A participant practises in a training session of table tennis in Ankara, Türkiye, on Jan. 6, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

A participant practises in a training session of table tennis in Ankara, Türkiye, on Jan. 6, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

Participants practise in a training session of table tennis in Ankara, Türkiye, on Jan. 6, 2026. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)