International | The Telegram Patriotism tests loom for big business Economic nationalism makes it harder for multinationals to navigate the world Share Illustration: Chloe Cushman Dec 30th 2025 | 5 min read F OR CHINESE fans of table tennis, even global tournaments have a cosy feel. China so dominates the sport that many international matches amount to a contest between “our Chinese” and “their Chinese”. Fans in China proudly watch their country’s champions compete with members of the “ping-pong foreign legion”, their fond nickname for Chinese-born aces who, realising they will never make their national squad, emigrate to play under other flags. At the Paris Olympics in 2024 more than a dozen table-tennis players representing European, Latin American and other countries were Chinese-born and -trained. This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Patriotism tests loom for big business” From the January 3rd 2026 edition Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents ⇒ Explore the edition Share Reuse this content More from International The Telegram A stay-calm plan to save the world Alas, almost no foreign leader is as reasonable as Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb The War Room newsletter: What is Donald Trump’s aim for Iran? Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, analyses the president’s options The Telegram Donald Trump’s envoys failed to reassure Europe A gathering of world leaders in Munich shows how trust has collapsed The Robin Hood state is coming for the rich Tax systems are more progressive than you think Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s network What 1. 4m emails reveal about America’s most notorious sex offender The Telegram Are liberal values a luxury the West cannot afford? Yes, China has impressive high-speed trains. That is no reason for the West to adopt iron-fisted rule

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