On March 25, 2025, the Chinese Embassy in the United States co-held a reception to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and honor the spirit of the Flying Tigers in China-U.S. cooperation together with Flying Tigers organizations. Ambassador Xie Feng attended the event and delivered remarks.

Ambassador Xie said that we have come together to remember history, and pass down the valuable asset of goodwill between the Chinese and American people. The story of the Flying Tigers is a story about a profound friendship forged amid the trials of blood and fire. To drive out the invaders, more than 2,000 members of the Flying Tigers laid down their precious lives, shooting down over 2,600 Japanese fighter jets. The pilots also accomplished an extraordinary feat in the world’s aviation history by opening up the Hump Route against all odds for transporting emergency supplies. The treacherous route was later known as the “Aluminum Trail”, a homage to all the planes that never returned home.

Ambassador Xie pointed out that the Chinese people held such kindness close to their hearts. To flatten the runway for the aircraft of the Flying Tigers, men, women, and children broke rocks and carried stone rollers weighing several tons, building 28 airports by hand. To rescue American pilots, thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians sacrificed their lives, creating a miracle in the history of World War II with the rescue of 64 Doolittle Raiders in 1942. Every Flying Tigers pilot carried a blood chit with them, which read, ”These foreign friends have come to China to help us fight the invaders. Soldiers and civilians, one and all, rescue and protect them!” This is the best illustration of how our two peoples stood together in the darkest times.

Ambassador Xie said that the war is now a thing of the past, but the heroes continue to live in our hearts, and our friendship remains evergreen. Today, monuments and memorial halls stand as testimony to that chapter of history in places where the Flying Tigers had fought. The Chinese people are still helping to search for the remains of U.S. troops who assisted China. A total of 650,000 young people from nearly 100 schools in both China and the United States are members of the “Flying Tigers Friendship School and Youth Leaders Program”. And the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum is now a must-visit place for Americans eager to know more about the Flying Tigers. The friendship formed amid the flames of war is being renewed day by day, passed down from generation to generation as our two peoples keep reaching out to each other with goodwill.