Wu Xiande, mayor of Fuzhou, met with Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, along with a delegation from the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou on October 16. The meeting focused on strengthening friendly relations and exploring new opportunities for cultural exchange and development.

Wu warmly welcomed the delegation, emphasizing the long-standing and deep-rooted ties between the people of China and the United States. He highlighted the important contributions of the Flying Tigers over 80 years ago, who supported China during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and contributed to the broader World Anti-Fascist War.

He also shared the story of Kuliang, a well-known example of grassroots Sino-American exchanges, and noted that one of its key figures, Donald MacInnis, was a lieutenant in the Flying Tigers. Over the years, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and the MacInnis family have been dedicated to fostering people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, further deepening the enduring friendship between the Chinese and American people. The foundation’s Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and Youth Leadership Program, in particular, offers an excellent platform for Fuzhou students to broaden their horizons and fosters greater mutual understanding between young people from both nations.

Fuzhou is eager to strengthen its ties with the foundation, promoting deeper exchanges between young people in China and the United States, and contributing to a lasting friendship between the two peoples.

Wu said he hoped the visitors would follow in Donald MacInnis' footsteps by treating Fuzhou as their second home, actively promoting the city, and returning often for tourism and leisure.

Greene emphasized that, in recent years, the foundation has organized multiple visits for veterans of the Flying Tigers and their descendants back to China, as well as launching the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and Youth Leadership Program. These initiatives have significantly advanced grassroots exchanges between China and the United States. He reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to carrying forward the spirit of the Flying Tigers, fostering exchanges between the youth of both countries, and ensuring that the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples continues to thrive for generations to come.

Gu Qi, vice-chair of the Fuzhou Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also attended the meeting.