Courtesy of Chinese embassy in the US

Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang called on China and the US to write more stories of cooperation like the Flying Tigers to bring benefits to their people, and peace and prosperity to the world while attending the opening ceremony of "Remembering heroes - 80th Anniversary of the Flying Tigers and America's Second World War Air Defense of China Photo Expo" on Sunday.  

"It has been 81 years since the Flying Tigers have seen tremendous changes in both China and the US, and the world today is totally different from how it was 81 years ago. The interests of China and the US have long been intertwined, but China-US relations are facing unprecedented challenges," Qin said during a speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. 

"No one has the right to stoke conflicts and confrontation. The only right choice is mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. We need to write more stories of cooperation like the Flying Tigers, for the wellbeing of the two peoples, and peace and stability of the world." 

In 1941, US General Chennault formed the Chinese Air Force and the United States Volunteer Air Force for China, commonly known as the Flying Tigers, to fight the Japanese aggressors together with the Chinese military and civilians.

Reviewing the experience of Chinese and American soldiers and civilians in fighting together in the anti-fascist war without fear, Qin toured the photo expo, which was co-sponsored by organizations such as the US-China Aviation Heritage Foundation. The exhibition displays hundreds of precious historical pictures.

During his speech, Qin said that the story of the Flying Tigers is a story about the shared fight of China and the US. "With over 35 million casualties, China was the Eastern main theater of World Anti-fascist War, and in those years, Flying Tigers fought heroically with the Chinese people. From the China-Myanmar border to the Taiwan Straits, from the Yangtze River to the Himalayas, Flying Tigers soared above the sky like eagles, and shot down over 2,600 Japanese fighter jets," Qin said.

In the Doolittle Raid in 1942, 64 of the 80 American pilots in the operation were rescued by the Chinese. In revenge, the Japanese invaders killed about 250,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians. But even in such a dire situation, the Chinese people were never scared away.

Qin also pointed out that the story of the Flying Tigers is a story about the enduring friendship between China and the US. The descendants of many Flying Tigers veterans have also become strong champions of China-US relations.

"To go for conflict and confrontation or live in peace, to get stuck in a zero-sum game or to carry out win-win cooperation, these are the questions of the century. The peace we enjoy today has been won by the blood and sacrifices of numerous people and deserves to be treasured," Qin said.

Global Times