US students attend Flying Tigers camp

More than 40 students and teachers from the United States and China gathered in Chongqing this week for a summer camp marking the 85th anniversary of the Flying Tigers, the famed US volunteer group that helped China fight Japanese forces during World War II.

The 2026 Flying Tigers Summer Camp in China, held from Sunday to Wednesday, brought together 21 students and teachers from nine US educational institutions and 23 participants from three schools in Chongqing. The program featured historical visits, discussions and cultural exchanges.

Organized by the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, a US nonprofit dedicated to preserving the history of US-China aviation cooperation, the camp is part of a broader initiative to promote historical understanding and people-to-people exchanges. In September 2022, the foundation launched the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools program, a youth leadership initiative designed to help American students learn about the Flying Tigers, preserve their legacy and strengthen China-US friendship. This summer, nearly 200 students from the program are visiting nine Chinese cities, including Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Fuzhou and Chongqing, for cultural exchanges.

During the camp, participants visited the Chongqing Stilwell Museum, the former residence of US General Joseph Stilwell, and took part in a salon on wartime history, cultural exchanges and the role of young people in fostering bilateral ties. They also played a table tennis match to commemorate the 55th anniversary of China-US Ping-Pong Diplomacy.

The itinerary also included visits to Chongqing landmarks, including Jiefangbei, also known as the People's Liberation Monument, and the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, among others.

The program gave American students a deeper understanding of the wartime cooperation between US military personnel, led by General Joseph Stilwell, and Chinese forces.

"I used to think the Flying Tigers were mostly American pilots," said Dylan Mancini, 15, a student at East Side Community High School in New York City. "But now I've learned that Chinese soldiers and ordinary civilians also played important roles during the war."

For many participants, the camp also offered an opportunity to build friendships across cultures.

"I think it's a great way to bond," said Mason Shen, 13, a student at Linden Avenue Middle School in Red Hook, New York. "It's a great way to connect with each other without speaking too much."

Lin Zibei, 16, a student at Chongqing Yucai Secondary School, said the exchanges quickly revealed common interests despite differences in nationality. "Although our countries are far apart, we share many common interests."

Grace Guizhi Wang, the camp's lead teacher and a member of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, said the program's guiding principle is "honoring the past and connecting the future".

"The children are already sharing their journey on social media," Wang said. "When they return, they'll share their experiences and friendships with their families and peers. These memories will last a lifetime."