中國乒乓名宿、中美“乒乓外交”的見證者莊則棟癌癥病情嚴重。不過,盡管身體衰弱,這位年逾古稀的老人卻依舊不改樂觀的天性。
Zhuang Zedong and his wife, Chinese-born Japanese Sasaki Atsuko. [File Photo]
Beijing (CNS) -- Celebrated Chinese table tennis player and political personality Zhuang Zedong won't back down from a fight.
"Death is inevitable for everyone," said the three-time world men's singles champion. "For me, fighting is more important. Unless you die, the battle of life is always there."
Zhuang, 70, was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008 and has received 14 operations since then.
In an interview here in Beijing on Monday, Zhuang thanked government leaders at all levels for helping him during his treatment, and his fans for their continued support.
Zhuang was in the final stage of cancer when he was hospitalized this July, with most of his liver infected by cancer cells and dozens of tumors in his lungs, said Dr. Zheng, who is overseeing Zhuang's treatment.
But after more than three weeks of radiofrequency ablation, Zhuang's jaundice indicator is back to normal and his appetite has improved, Zheng added.
Born in 1942, Zhuang joined the Chinese National Table Tennis team as a teenager. His chance meeting with US table tennis player Glenn Cowan during the 31st World Table Tennis Championship in the early 1970s played an important role in Sino-American relations.
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