China honours WWII Flying Tiger aircrews in push to improve people-to-people ties with US

China has paid tribute to American “Flying Tiger” aircrew members in a ceremony commemorating the end of World War II, in the latest push to foster people-to-people relations between the two nations.

For the first time, the names of more than 2,500 personnel who died fighting the Japanese on behalf of China have been published.

At a ceremony in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, on Tuesday, Chinese ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said the Flying Tiger spirit “will forever be a great treasure”.

He said the aircrews represented the keeping of justice and peace, as well as friendship.