Flying Tigers statue honors wartime brotherhood

A statue commemorating the World War II-era Flying Tigers, the US volunteer pilots who fought alongside the Chinese people against Japanese aggression, was unveiled near Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday. It was part of the global commemoration of the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II.

The newly installed work features a bronze figure of General Claire Lee Chennault standing beside a Chinese soldier, paying tribute to the enduring bond forged between China and the United States during one of history's darkest chapters.

The Flying Tigers, formally known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, were formed in 1941 under the leadership of Chennault to support China in its resistance against the Japanese invasion. They achieved significant victories in the air and were instrumental in opening the perilous "Hump Route" over the Himalayas, a critical supply line for wartime China.