French media report that the American 'Flying Tigers', the air force unit that assisted Chinese troops in resisting Japanese attacks during World War II, is now being used by Beijing as a diplomatic tool to influence Washington’s view of China.
The full name of the Flying Tigers is “American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force”, established in 1941, with former American pilot Chennault as the commander.
This was a group of 359 retired naval and marine pilots and ground personnel hired by the Nationalist Government of China to come to China to fight against Japan. On the surface, they were volunteers, but in reality, U.S. President Roosevelt was the driving force behind their formation. The purpose was to tie down Japanese forces on the Chinese battlefield and prevent them from moving south, at a time when the United States had not yet entered World War II.
Le Monde, the French newspaper, reported on Sunday that this history may now seem somewhat out of date, and it highlights both China’s weakness at the time and the crucial assistance provided by the United States. Yet, convinced that the U.S. is determined to fully contain China’s rise, Beijing is eager to emphasize to the world that China and the U.S. once worked hand in hand.
In November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping once again publicly referenced a letter sent to still-living Flying Tigers veterans, saying: “For the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations in the new era, we need the contribution and support of a new generation of Flying Tigers.” At that time, Xi was preparing to meet then-U.S. President Biden in San Francisco.
Recently, China held commemorative events marking the 85th anniversary of the Flying Tigers’ founding at the Nanjing Memorial Hall and other major war memorial sites. China had previously compiled a list of 2,605 Americans who had assisted the Flying Tigers; in this round of commemorations, the United States provided a list of 113 individuals who had not been previously recorded. China announced it would seek out the remains of these heroic Americans and called on the public and researchers to provide any information that could help in this endeavor.
The report concludes that, in a year when China-U.S. summits are being held frequently, China has taken this action. As Beijing seeks to isolate Japan, it is also using the memory of the Flying Tigers to remind the world that China and the United States once fought side by side against Japanese fascism.