Chinese and US youths recite a poem at a commemorative event marking the 85th anniversary of the Flying Tigers' arrival in China. [Photo/Xinhua Daily]

A commemorative event marking the 85th anniversary of the Flying Tigers' arrival in China was launched on July 16 at the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall.

At the ceremony, Chinese and US youths jointly recited Across Mountains and Seas, For Peace, expressing their shared commitment to remembering history, cherishing peace and carrying the spirit of the Flying Tigers into the future.

In 1941, a group of US pilots traveled across the Pacific to support China's resistance against Japanese aggression. They are affectionately known as the "Flying Tigers" by the Chinese people.

The event was co-hosted by the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, founded by Jeffrey Greene in 1998. Over the past two decades, the foundation has organized visits to China for more than 500 veterans from the Flying Tigers and their descendants, helping strengthen the historical ties between the two countries.

The Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and Youth Leadership Program has become an important platform for passing on the Flying Tigers' legacy. According to Greene, the program has expanded to 130 schools across 25 Chinese provinces and 48 educational institutions in 11 US states.

About 500 US youths also came to China this month for study and cultural exchanges, while 60 Chinese students will travel to New York to participate in a youth leadership summit.

One of the student representatives at the ceremony, from Bullis School in Maryland, said the precious historical footage and exhibits at the memorial hall deeply moved him.

"The history left me deeply impressed and inspired," he said, adding he would share his experiences in China with his friends after returning home.

He also expressed his belief that if young people from different countries work together and build connections and cooperation around the shared goal of peace, the world can become a better place.