Ji has been appointed by the ITTF's Executive Committee as special advisor to President Thomas Weikert for commercial and business.

He has been a major commercial supporter to the ITTF for two years, through an investment partnership with the new form of table tennis - Table Tennis X - a time-bound format of the game designed to amplify the excitement - as well as having his company Seamaster as the title sponsor of the ITTF World Tour. 

Ji has also been instrumental in creating additional commercial table tennis products to promote table tennis globally, with the Chinese national being the visionary behind the new T2 APAC table tennis league which was launched this year.

Ji said: "I am honoured to be appointed as the special adviser to the ITTF President.

"I will try my utmost to contribute on the development of table tennis and make our sport more energetic and exciting to draw more younger generation into the game. 

"The ITTF are capable enough to create a better environment for table tennis."

Weikert believes the appointment of Ji will allow the sport to grow from strength to strength.

"I would like to personally thank Frank for his commitment, passion and belief in table tennis and the ITTF over our fruitful relationship over the last 24 months," he said. 

"Frank is a business visionary, and I could not think of a better person to be advising me on how to develop ITTF's commercial and business interests in his new position. 

"I look forward to our relationship flourishing more and together taking table tennis to new heights."

Weikert and Ji will hold their first meeting during the 2017 World Tour Grand Finals to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan between December 14 and 17.