【推荐1】Ping-pong, or table tennis, might seem like an ordinary game to play with friends or family. But it holds a special place in China-US relations, as it has helped both countries get along for the last 50 years. This has been called “ping-pong diplomacy （乒乓外交）”.

Judy Hoarfrost was just 15 years old when she was sent from the US to China as part of a nine-member table tennis team. The year was 1971, and for the past 20 years, relations between China and the US had been unfriendly.

But as the team toured around China, things started warming up. Hoarfrost even got to meet then-Premier Zhou Enlai. “The most unforgettable moment was Zhou shaking hands with me and looking into my eyes,” Hoarfrost told China Daily. “You have opened a new page in China-US relationships.” Zhou told the team.

In the years that followed the historic visit, ties between the two countries started to blossom.Diplomatic relations between the US and China were fully established （建立） in 1979.

Players from both countries believed strongly in the idea of “friendship first, competition second”. To this day, many of them remain friends. Hoarfrost thinks we should remember ping-pong diplomacy in order “to understand the importance of people to people exchanges in establishing bonds , human bonds between peoples.”

Seeing tension （紧张局面） between two of the world’s biggest powers in recent years, Hoarfrost said China and the US should work together. “We have so much in common, and we need to build on what we have in common,” she added.

【推荐2】We all have a different approach to money — some of us like to spend it as soon as we have it, while some of us like to hold on to it and spend it carefully. But for people who are very savvy (精明的) about their cash, there are a number of interesting ways to invest it and, if things go well, make a tidy profit.

Buying stamps, wine, coins and books are all different ways of investing your money. It comes with risks but can be thrilling as, hopefully, you watch the value of your investment rise. However, you need to know what you’re doing and making your fortune is not guaranteed.

If you’re happy to take a risk, then one of the most well-known ways of investing is by buying artwork. By purchasing a painting and holding on to it, its value can increase by a handsome sum, but of course, only when you sell it do you feel the financial benefit. Some people get quite lucky, particularly when they don’t expect to make any money. There are stories of people buying a painting in an antique shop for peanuts only to find out it’s actually worth thousands of pounds.

Of course investing in artwork is not a guarantee to make you a millionaire. Patrick Connolly, a financial adviser, says investing in art is too risky and he recommends their clients not to invest in it because the downsides outweigh the upsides.

But if you’re still keen, there are art fairs, such as The Affordable Art Fair, and websites aimed at buyers with a modest budget. Patrick Connolly says the best approach here is to buy something you like and can afford and “if it goes up in value, that should be just an added bonus.”

If this has spoilt your plans for your investment, maybe there’s more chance of winning big money by buying a lottery ticket (彩票)!

【推荐3】One feature of a successful business is its ability to employ creativity to push into new territory （领域）. Those with staying power, however, have mastered an often-ignored factor that allows them to focus on the future: empathy（共情）. While that may surprise many, I am certain that the ability to connect with and relate to others is the force that moves business forward.

Though the concept of empathy might go against the modern concept a traditional workplace—competitive, the reality is that for business leaders to experience success, they need to not just see or hear the activity around them, but also relate to the people around.

Some may think they can achieve their goals without much thought for other people. This attitude works for some, but at some point-often sooner rather than later—everyone needs to depend on their relationships and build personal and professional connections. Successful people do not operate alone; each of us needs the support of others to achieve positive results that push us forward our goals.

Effectively understanding empathy involves regarding it as each person’s connection to the people and marketplace. A biological principle（原理） known as co-evolution （共同进化）explains that the adaptation of an organism （有机体）is caused by the change of a related object. Similarly, business and their leaders participate in co-evolution-type relationships. Business success depends on empathetic leaders who are able to adapt, build on the strengths around them, and relate to their environment. When businesses fail, it is often because leaders have stopped focusing on understanding their environment and instead stay separated in their own operations.

To develop an effective workforce, we must be willing to give in and meet people where they are. This can be uncomfortable, particularly when you feel like your position makes more sense or offers a better solution. A significant part of developing empathy, however, is learning to understand, respect and adopt another person’s point of view rather forcing your own.