Flying Tigers' spirit 'a common treasure'

China's ambassador to the United States said that the spirit of the Flying Tigers "has been, and will continue to be, a common treasure of China and the United States". 

Ambassador Xie Feng also said that he hopes "more Flying Tigers members of the new generation "will "write new stories of friendship and cooperation".

The Flying Tigers, established in 1941 by US General Claire Lee Chennault, were officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force. They traveled to China to assist in the defense against the invading Japanese forces from 1941 to 1945.

Xie delivered his remarks via video link at the Remember the Heroes — Historical Photo Tour of the Flying Tigers (Nanjing) opening ceremony held in Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall, in East China's Jiangsu province. The exhibition showcases approximately 180 photographs and more than 100 cultural relics, including General Chennault's medals.

Xie said the spirit of the Flying Tigers is about upholding justice and defending peace, helping each other and uniting as one, as well as valuing and renewing the two nations' friendship.

He said that President Xi Jinping spoke highly of the historical contributions of the Flying Tigers in assisting China in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the profound friendship forged between the two peoples.

Xie said that China is still helping to search for the remains of US service members who assisted China. "To date, nearly 500 Flying Tigers veterans and hundreds of their family members have visited China nearly 80 years after the end of World War II.

"We welcome the Flying Tigers veterans to come back to China often, and jointly support the Flying Tigers Friendship School and Youth Leaders Program and President Xi's initiative of inviting 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years," Xie said.

"We expect more similar events to be held in the United States as well, to tell the story of the Flying Tigers to the public and continue enhancing exchanges between our two peoples and deepening our time-honored friendship."

China also released for the first time a list of 2,590 anti-Japanese aviation martyrs from the US, most of whom were from the Flying Tigers, according to the Nanjing memorial hall.

Xie mentioned "a special ceremony" for the addition of the name of Lieutenant Jack Hammel, a Flying Tigers pilot "who gave his life in China".

According to the Xinhua News Agency, Hammel, a pilot from Michigan, died at the age of 23 on July 25, 1945, in China's Jiangxi province, after his fighter plane was hit by Japanese ground fire.

In 2017, Hammel's family and friends visited the memorial hall but couldn't find his name. Hammel's identity was confirmed with assistance from the Chinese embassy in the United States, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and other institutions and his name was added to the monument.