Hu Na (Chinese: 胡娜; pinyin: Hú Nà; born April 16, 1963[2]) is a former professional tennis player best known for defecting from the People's Republic of China to the United States in 1982, thereby sparking a Cold War-era diplomatic incident. Diplomatic relations between the two countries had been established in 1979, and the Hu Na incident was among the first major tests of those newly established relations.
| Native name | 胡娜 |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  China United States (since 1983) Republic of China (since 1996)[1] |
| Residence | Taipei, Taiwan |
| Born | April 16, 1963[2] Chengdu, Sichuan, China |
| Turned pro | 1981 |
| Retired | 1991[3] |
| Prize money | US$ 214,720[2] |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 75-97[2] |
| Career titles | 0[2] |
| Highest ranking | No. 48 (February 29, 1988)[2] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1987) |
| French Open | 2R (1990) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1985) |
| US Open | 2R (1985, 1986) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 45-67[2] |
| Career titles | 1 WTA[2] |
| Highest ranking | No. 49 (June 25, 1990)[2] |
Early life
editThis section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (April 2024) |
Hu Na was a young and rising tennis star from China's Sichuan province. She had a talent for sports from an early age, and she spent several hours practicing every day. Her father enrolled her in a special athletic school. She took a special interest in tennis, winning first at provincial-level competition, then the national-level young tennis tournament, making her China's top-ranked tennis player. At this point, she was invited to join the China national women's tennis team, based in Beijing.
Diplomatic incident
editBeginning of incident
editIn July 1982, while touring California for 1982 Federation Cup with the China Federation Cup team, on her second day in America, Hu Na fled her hotel room and sought refuge in the home of friends. In April 1983, she requested political asylum, stating that she had a "well-founded" fear of persecution because of repeatedly refusing to join the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed]
Immediate reactions of American and Chinese governments
editThe U.S. government allowed her to remain while it considered her request. It delayed nearly eight months in making a decision. On the one hand, Hu Na had considerable sympathy from President Reagan's administration and from the U.S. public, but on the other hand, U.S. diplomats knew that to grant Hu Na asylum almost certainly would damage relations with China and possibly drive it closer to the Soviet Union.[citation needed]
The Chinese government suggested that the 19-year-old star was too young to have made such a decision independently, and it pointed out that her lawyer was being paid for by donations from Taiwan. It promised not to punish her if she returned home, and it implied that separating Hu from her family by keeping her in the United States would be cruel.[4]
Granting of asylum
editThe U.S. Department of State issued a memorandum supporting her asylum claim to the U.S. Department of Justice, which had the ultimate responsibility to make a decision. On April 5, 1983, the United States formally granted Hu Na political asylum.[citation needed]
The Chinese government was infuriated, stating that this constituted blatant U.S. intervention in its domestic affairs. It then announced it would sever all cultural and artistic ties between the two countries. A Voice of America radio broadcasting delegation visit to China, scheduled to take place just a few days later, was cancelled. U.S. diplomats in Beijing found themselves cut off from invitations and contacts with the Chinese government.[citation needed]
Long-term effects
editConservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation called Hu Na's defection a clear win for American foreign policy.[5] Although Hu Na was likely of little concern to the Chinese, the incident was an embarrassment for the Chinese government and brought to light other bilateral points of contention. One contemporary article[6] stated that the Chinese, through diplomatic channels, would not have complained as much if Hu Na had been granted some type of immigration status other than "political asylum".[citation needed]
Later life
editAfter receiving asylum. Hu Na played tennis for the United States. Her best Grand Slam result was a third-round finish at the 1985 Wimbledon. She retired from professional play in 1991 after sustaining injuries.[3]
Hu Na resettled in Taiwan, where she worked as a tennis commentator for ESPN, and she established the Hu Na Bitan Tennis Club in Taipei,[3] which later trained the Taiwanese tennis star Hsieh Su-wei. She has returned to mainland China many times to promote the sport and visit her family.[7]
In 2011, Hu Na had a dream which she interpreted as a sign to start painting. She has established herself as a professional painter. She has produced over 400 paintings in six years. In November 2012, she showed her artwork in her first oil painting world tour. In 2017, Hu Na held the Hu Na Lotus Sutra Oil Painting Collection World Tour.[8][9]
WTA Tour finals
editDoubles (1–2)
edit| Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0–1 | Oct 1987 | Indianapolis, United States | Hard (i) |  Beverly Bowes
|
 Jenny Byrne Michelle Jaggard-Lai
|
2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 1–1 | Jul 1989 | Schenectady, United States | Hard | Michelle Jaggard-Lai
|
Sandra Birch Debbie Graham
|
6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1–2 | Apr 1990 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Michelle Jaggard-Lai
|
Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Smylie
|
0–6, 6–3, 1–6 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Know about Hu Na (Club of Hu Na) Archived 2008-09-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Hu Na (USA)". Women's Tennis Association.
- ^ a b c Chang, David. "Former Chinese tennis star, defector, to return to China". Bangkok Post. Retrieved August 15, 2008.
- ^ Harding, Harry (1992). A Fragile Relationship: The United States and China Since 1972. Brookings Institution Press. p. 128.
- ^ Copper, John F. (August 23, 1983). "The Lessons of Playing Tough with China". The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved August 15, 2008.
- ^ Isaacson, Walter (April 18, 1983). "Furious Volley in No Win Match". Time. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2008.
- ^ Dan Levin (July 19, 2013). "Taiwan's Tennis Ace Flirts With China. How Could She? Cash". New York Times. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
- ^ "Tennis star became artist with a new art exhibit (Chinese: 網球名將變宅女！胡娜油畫展今開展！－民視新聞.)". October 8, 2017. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
- ^ Xiao Wen Lu (July 21, 2017). "Former Tennis star becomes Buddhism Sutra Painting Artist Overnight.(Chinese: 前網球名將胡娜 一夜成佛經繪畫藝術家)". Retrieved July 21, 2017.
External links
edit- Hu Na at the Women's Tennis Association
- Hu Na at the International Tennis Federation
- Hu Na at the Billie Jean King Cup
