By Lin Xin
Huxi Experimental Middle School in Liuzhou City, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Jack Lund Scofield Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, are established as Flying Tigers Friendship Schools through an online ceremony on June 13. (Photo by Lin Xin)
LIUZHOU, June 15 -- An Memorandum of Understanding was signed online between Huxi Experimental Middle School in Liuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Jack Lund Scofield Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on June 13 to establish them as the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools.
On September 1, 2022, Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation launched the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and the Flying Tigers Youth Leadership Programs, based on which the Liuzhou People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, Huxi Experimental Middle School and Jack Lund Scofield Middle School signed the present MOU to conclude the Friendship Schools relationship.
As such, the Jack Lund Scofield Middle School, which is named after Scofield, one of the famous Flying Tigers, and the Huxi Experimental Middle School will organize mutual visits to each other' school, as well as relevant memorial halls and places where the "Flying Tigers" once fought.
Zhang Jianmin, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco, expressed in his speech that he hopes to have the youth of both countries shoulder historical missions, carry forward the spirit of the "Flying Tigers", strengthen communication and exchanges, enhance mutual understanding, and work together to meet global challenges.
Eric Frater, Consul of the Consulate General of the United States of America in Guangzhou, on behalf of Consul General Lisa K. Heller, expressed the hope that both sides can strengthen mutual visits, especially in the field of education.
According to Jiang Jiang, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, it was of great significance to launch the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and Flying Tigers Youth Leadership Programs when China-US relations are in difficulty. He hoped that the programs could develop into a platform to enhance traditional friendship and strengthen exchanges between the Chinese and American youth.
During World War II, General Cynthia Chennault of the US recruited the American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force, which was later known as the "Flying Tigers", to fight against the invading Japanese fascists together with the Chinese military and civilians. In recent years, Liuzhou has continuously strengthened the effort to protect these anti-Japanese war sites and historical relics, having set up Liuzhou Military Museum, visited American veterans who joined the combats in Liuzhou, and collected precious historical materials, to have the China-US friendship keep expanding in history.
