Ambassador commemorates 85th anniversary of Flying Tigers in China

On July 16, 2026, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng delivered video remarks at the Launch Ceremony Commemorating the 85th Anniversary of the Flying Tigers Coming to China.

Ambassador Xie said that 85 years ago, amid the flames of war, Chinese and American soldiers and civilians forged the Flying Tigers spirit — a spirit of defending peace, sharing weal and woe, and valuing friendship, which continues to resonate in the hearts of both our peoples to this day. Eighty-five years on, maintaining world peace and development remains an arduous task. The Presidents of China and the United States recently held a historic and landmark meeting in Beijing, which has not only established a new vision for China-U.S. relations, but also started a new chapter in people-to-people friendship between our two countries. At this historical starting point, we need more Flying Tigers of the new era, who will rise to the challenges of our time, take concrete action, and give new momentum to the friendship between our two peoples.

Ambassador Xie shared three hopes: First, learn from the examples of the Flying Tigers, and shoulder our responsibilities as major countries in upholding peace. China and the United States should draw wisdom and courage from our history of fighting fascism together, and ensure the giant ship of bilateral relations will move steadily along the right course, so as to make greater contributions to world peace, prosperity, and progress. Second, carry forward the spirit of the Flying Tigers, and enhance public support for China-U.S. friendship. We need to encourage interactions across all sectors of our two countries, so as to write new Flying Tigers stories in this era. Third, nurture young Flying Tigers, and open up a brighter future for China-U.S. relations. We need to support more young people in taking up the baton of the times, jointly addressing new challenges facing humankind, and contributing their wisdom to the development of China-U.S. relations.

The event was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Fang Wei, Vice Chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Zhou Hongbo, Secretary of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee, and Jeffrey Greene, Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, attended the ceremony. Nearly 100 guests, including family members of Flying Tigers veterans and American youth representatives, participated in the event.