After the Chinese president's speech at the Waseda University, Jintao and Fakuda were watching a match between Beijing Olympics qualifier Ai Fukuhara and Chinese Olympic gold medalist Wang Nan. But the 65-year-old Chinese president surprised the audience when he took off his jacket and glasses to join the game.

Jintao impressed the spectators with his table tennis skills, as he beat Fukuhara in five of the eight rounds of the game.

Many expected 71-year-old Fakuda also to pick up a paddle and join the game, but the Japan PM later told mediapersons that 'he chickened out'.

"I'm glad I didn't play ping-pong with him. He's very strategic. I thought you can't be too careful," said Fakuda.

Image: Chinese President Hu Jintao plays table tennis at Waseda University's Okuma Garden House.
Photograph: Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images

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