Flying Tigers youth camp in south China perpetuates legacy of heroic US pilots

China

Flying Tigers youth camp in south China perpetuates legacy of heroic US pilots

2024-07-07 15:40 Last Updated At：07-08 00:27

A youth summer camp in southwest China's Yunnan Province brought profound inspiration to 70 American teachers and students in further promoting China-U.S. friendship and cultural exchanges.

Themed around the historic legacy of the Flying Tigers volunteer air forces, the camp came to a close on Friday.

The Flying Tigers, officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, were formed in 1941 by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China during World War II.

After over eight decades, stories of the Flying Tigers' heroism have been passed down from generation to generation in both China and the United States, with mutual friendship continuing to flourish.

The American teachers and students at the camp first experienced various cultural activities and visited famous historical sites in Beijing, and then visited wartime memorials and commemorative museums in Yunnan's Kunming City, as well as Tengchong City, where the battle team was established.

The program has kept alive the heroic deeds of the Chinese and American heroes and carried forward the deep friendship between China and the United States, said youth campers.

"The significance of the Flying Tigers is they served as a reminder that the two countries can work together in peace to stop a dangerous situation," said camper Angelina Yasmin Gutierrez.

Organizers said that they will launch similar youth summer camps to further deepen bilateral friendship and pass on the Flying Tigers spirit.

"The relations between China and the United States is the most important relationship on the planet. If our two countries don't get along, it's bad for everybody. That's why we are bringing more, in the next year, in the following years. Programs like this, just simply letting kids make up their mind, that's the key to the future," said Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation.

The summer camp, named the Chinese Bridge Flying Tigers Summer Camp for American Students, was organized by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education and the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation (SAAHF), and opened in Beijing on June 26.

EU tariff hikes on Chinese EVs violate WTO rules: expert

2024-10-06 14:58 Last Updated At：15:07

The European Union's (EU) tariff hikes on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) violate the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) but will not affect China's economic growth or its rising influence in the global market, said a Tajik economist.

The European Commission announced Friday that it passed a vote to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs, sparking criticism from several European countries and auto industry groups who warn the move could boomerang against the EU competitiveness.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Rahmon Ulmasov, a professor at the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University, criticized the EU's decision, which he said restricts free trade.

"Firstly, the EU's imposition of tariffs on Chinese EVs violates the WTO rules. Secondly, the development of free trade should not be constrained by any legal mandates or resolutions," he said.

"Chinese manufacturers entered the markets of Europe and the United States a long time ago, and this will continue to be the norm. The reason is simple: China has the capability to mass-produce cost-effective products that consumers want and can afford," he said.

In his view, the tariffs are rooted in shortsightedness that misplaces blame on China for European economic woes.

"Moreover, Europe is facing a shrinking labor force and severe population issues, which is leading them to shift towards the Chinese market. Therefore, the measures attempting to block Chinese goods are only temporary solutions," said Ulmasov.

Moreover, he stressed, attempts to contain the development of China's economic prowess are doomed to failure.

"Chinese investors have a wide range of investment opportunities in Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Therefore, even if the EU takes measures now, it will not affect China's economic growth or its growing influence in global economic development," said Ulmasov.