Flying Tigers exhibition in San Francisco honors US-China wartime friendship

Descendants of the Flying Tigers, along with U.S. and Chinese officials and World War II history activists, gathered on Monday to open a new photo exhibition that honors the historic bond between the American and Chinese people during their joint fight against fascism in World War II (WWII).

The exhibition, titled "Sino-American Friendship -- Flying Tigers in Guangxi," is being organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It runs through May 4 at the WWII Pacific War Memorial Hall in San Francisco Chinatown.

Featuring 29 panels of historical photographs, the exhibition highlights the heroic contributions of the Flying Tigers -- an American volunteer group that aided China during its War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

The images also reflect the deep friendship forged between the two nations as they stood shoulder to shoulder during one of the most turbulent periods in modern history.

Guangxi was a key strategic location for the Flying Tigers, who operated from bases in cities like Guilin and Liuzhou. From there, they launched daring bombing raids on Japanese targets in Guangzhou, Wuhan, Hainan, and beyond -- crippling supply lines and bolstering China's resistance efforts while contributing to the global fight against fascism.

Charlene Fontaine, a descendant of a Flying Tigers veteran, shared personal stories passed down from her father.

She emphasized the often-overlooked bravery of the Chinese people. "When we said how much our dads did to help save China, my father always said it was the courage and resilience of the Chinese people that saved them," she recalled.

Wei Jiang, deputy director of Guangxi's Department of Culture and Tourism, highlighted stories of American pilots rescued by Chinese villagers who risked their lives to shelter them from enemy forces.

Wei announced that a larger and more comprehensive exhibition on the Flying Tigers will open this September in Liuzhou City, and he invited Flying Tigers descendants in the United States to contribute historical materials and visit the upcoming event.

Local elected officials also attended Monday's opening ceremony. "We're here to honor the men, the women, and the history of an incredible event," said Danville Vice Mayor Newell Arnerich. "History is something that we need to learn from and it guides us to our future."

San Francisco Supervisor Chyanne Chen praised the exhibit as "a valuable live classroom."

"The U.S.-China relationship is important, and remembering the sacrifices of those who fought for peace is something we must continue to honor," she said.