法国媒体报道称，二战期间支援中华民国抗日的美国飞虎队，如今被北京用作外交手段以影响美国对华态度。[1]飞虎队全名为"中华民国空军美籍志愿大队"，成立于民国30年，由359名美国海军及陆战队退除役飞行与地勤人员组成。[1]
中国领导人多次运用飞虎队历史强化中美关系论述。[1]习近平在2023年11月于旧金山会晤美国总统拜登前，曾引用寄给飞虎队老兵的信件，表示"新时代中美关系的健康稳定发展，需要新一代飞虎队成员的贡献和支持"。[1]最近北京在南京纪念馆及其他主要战争纪念地举行飞虎队成立85周年纪念活动，并宣布将寻找美国人员的遗骸，意在提醒世人中美曾并肩抗日。[1]
在此次纪念活动中，中国先前已整理出2605名曾协助飞虎队的美国人名单，美国随后又提供了113名先前未被记录在案的人员名单。[1]
French media outlets have characterized Beijing's recent commemoration of the Flying Tigers as a strategic move to influence American perceptions of China through historical narrative.[1] The Flying Tigers, officially known as the Chinese National Revolutionary Air Force American Volunteer Group, was established in 1941 with 359 retired naval and marine aviation personnel and ground crew.[1]
Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly invoked the Flying Tigers' legacy to emphasize Sino-American cooperation.[1] Before his November 2023 meeting with President Biden in San Francisco, Xi referenced a letter he sent to Flying Tigers veterans, stating that "the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations in the new era requires the contribution and support of a new generation of Flying Tigers members."[1] To commemorate the unit's 85th anniversary, China organized memorial events in Nanjing and other major wartime sites.[1] As part of these commemorations, Beijing announced plans to identify and locate the remains of American personnel who served with the Flying Tigers, framing the effort as a reminder of the two nations' shared struggle against Japanese aggression during World War II.[1]
China had previously compiled a roster of 2,605 American individuals who assisted the Flying Tigers.[1] The recent anniversary activities saw the United States provide an additional list of 113 previously unrecorded personnel.[1]