Shanghai reaffirmed the enduring ties between China and the United States through the opening of the "Remembering Heroes and Creating the Future Together" Flying Tigers photo exhibition, unveiled on July 8 at the Huangpu Cultural Center.

Coinciding with the exhibition, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation announced the expansion of its Flying Tigers Friendship School program, now reaching nearly one million students across 108 schools in both countries. The initiative extends the wartime legacy of solidarity and shared purpose.

Hosted by the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, and the Huangpu district people's government, the exhibition commemorates the sacrifices of the Flying Tigers, American volunteer pilots who supported China in resisting Japanese aggression during the Second World War.

On view until Sept 14, the exhibition presents archival photographs, images from recent commemorative events, and supplemental historical documents.

Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, reflected on the origins and resonance of the Flying Tigers' name, noting that it was the Chinese public who first coined the term in admiration of the American pilots defending Kunming.

"That name made them the most famous pilots in history," Greene said.

He paid tribute to the courage of the Chinese civilians who risked their lives to rescue downed American pilots.

"Every Chinese person who helped an American pilot knew, in the back of his mind, that if he helped this guy — a guy he doesn't know — he could get his whole family killed," Greene said, highlighting the shared legacy of sacrifice and love.

Three Shanghai schools, including Shanghai Soong Ching Ling School and Xiangshan Middle School, formally joined the Friendship School program during the ceremony. They will partner with City High School in Iowa city, Iowa, and the Scurry-Rosser Independent School District in Scurry county, Texas.

The schools received official certification during the event.

Clifford Ray Long Jr., vice-chairman of the Foundation and son of a fighter pilot with the 14th U.S. Air Force, stressed the importance of preserving this chapter of history.

"If we can learn that history, that's good history," Long said. "That's what these exhibitions —  that's what our friendship school program is all about — is to keep this story, this history alive."

He added that the Foundation hopes to bring American students to China to visit museums, historical sites, and engage in person with their Chinese counterparts.

Zhou Zheng, principal of Shanghai No 8 Senior High School, welcomed the opportunity to join the initiative, noting it would allow youth from both nations to engage directly and meaningfully.

Zhou recalled receiving a commemorative jacket, which she described as imbued with weight and warmth, symbolizing the spirit of the Flying Tigers.

The exhibition forms part of a broader series marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global struggle against fascism.

Before arriving in Shanghai, the exhibition toured Fuzhou in Fujian province, as well as Guangzhou and Dongguan in Guangdong province. It is scheduled to continue in Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, Chongqing, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macau.