More than 80 years ago, high above the jagged peaks of the Himalayas, American and Chinese pilots braved the perilous “Hump” air route from India to China.
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They flew weapons, fuel and medical supplies into China to support its fight against Japan during World War II.
They returned with Chinese strategic minerals – including tungsten and tin – that fed Allied weapons factories and helped secure victory.
That wartime cooperation between China and the United States was a two-way lifeline, forged out of shared necessity.
Now, as the two powers navigate tensions over rare earths and advanced technology, the wartime bond offers a striking contrast – and perhaps a lesson – for their fraught relationship today, according to a leading Chinese historian.
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“The lesson here is that we should cooperate because it benefits everyone,” said Li Xuetong, a researcher with the Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.