Elected officials and community leaders from the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States, gathered in San Jose on August 13 to announce that the USS Hornet Museum in Oakland will host an event on August 30 commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The press conference underscored the historic friendship forged between China and the United States when the two nations fought side by side during World War II.

The commemoration is co-hosted by the USS Hornet Museum, the Carter Center, the WWII Pacific War Memorial Hall, the Global Friendship City Association, Alliance Persevering the Truth of Sino- Japanese War and the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of WW II in Asia, among others.

Through academic exchange, historical exhibitions, and public engagement, the event seeks to deepen understanding of the joint wartime efforts of China and the United States.

Betty Yuan, co-chair of the organizing committee, said that the commemoration is not only about honoring history and paying tribute to those who came before, but also about strengthening China-U.S. friendship and encouraging younger generations to carry forward the legacy of this shared history.

The program will feature a forum with Chinese and American historians, with distinguished guests including a centenarian Flying Tigers veteran, descendants of General Joseph Stilwell, and family members of participants in the Doolittle Raid. In addition, the event will include a small concert, a photo exhibition, and a themed fashion show inspired by the War of Resistance Against Japan. The fashion show will feature 48 costumes designed by the organizing committee and presented by volunteers from the Bay Area.

The fashion show is made possible by funding from Wang Jiefu, co-chair of the organizing committee and owner of a Yunnan rice noodle restaurant in the Bay Area. Wang recalled that over 80 years ago, members of the Flying Tigers stationed in Yunnan province had the chance to taste local rice noodles — a simple yet memorable flavor that has since come to symbolize the friendship and companionship between American pilots and their Chinese hosts in the city of Kunming. 

David Haubert, supervisor of Alameda County, remarked at the press conference: "The future of U.S.-China relations relies not only on high-level dialogue, but also on the steadfast efforts within our communities. You have shown us that even a bowl of rice noodles can carry deep meaning, becoming a symbol of unity."

Jonathan Ginsberg, executive director of the Global Friendship City Association, added: "Eighty years ago, at one of humanity's darkest hours, the people of China and the United States stood shoulder to shoulder. We remember the American Flying Tigers who gave their lives over China's skies, as well as the countless Chinese who contributed courage, resources, and support to the allied cause. This shared legacy reminds us that true friendship between nations is forged not only in moments of triumph, but also in shared trials, nurtured by mutual respect, and grounded in the recognition of a shared destiny."

Participants at the press conference emphasized that remembering history while looking ahead is essential to carrying forward the wartime spirit of China-U.S. cooperation, building consensus, and promoting lasting friendship and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

Elected officials and community leaders from the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States, gather in San Jose on August 13, 2025 to announce that the USS Hornet Museum in Oakland will host an event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Organizers of the commemoration pose for a group photo with local elected officials.

A volunteer photographs a costume that will be featured in a fashion show at the USS Hornet Museum on August 30.