U.S. youths' visit to Chongqing Stilwell Museum refreshes historic friendship

CHONGQING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- A group of American youths commended the Chongqing Stilwell Museum for its important role in fostering close people-to-people and cultural relations between the United States and China during their recent trip to southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

The group of 23, including college students, entrepreneurs and engineers, are members of the "Bridge of the Future" China-U.S. Youth Exchange Program Flagship Event. Their five-day visit to the city started on June 7.

Chongqing Stilwell Museum is named after Joseph Stilwell, a former U.S. general who helped the Chinese people in the fight against Japanese aggression during World War II.

Located in Stilwell's former residence in Chongqing, the museum houses abundant exhibits that serve as a reminder of the history and friendship between Chinese and American people during the war. It's the only museum in China named after a foreign military figure.

"It's awesome to see all the pictures, like the soldiers training, and it's also very cool to see actual things from back then like the buttons, the suits, and even the gallon tank for the Hump planes," said Peter Cruse, a student from Northern Arizona University.

Over the years, many American visitors have come to the museum and created cherished memories. Stilwell's great-granddaughters, Susan Cole and Nancy Millward, visited the museum in August 2023 as part of efforts to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Stilwell's birth, and they planted an osmanthus tree symbolizing friendship and peace at the museum.

In November 2023, a 36-member delegation including Harry Moyer and Melvin McMullen, two veterans of the U.S. 14th Air Force, also known as the "Flying Tigers," visited the museum. The members also left their signatures at the museum's exhibition hall.

"The museum provided opportunities and platforms for people from both countries to know each other," said Jason Yang, a student from the University of California, Berkeley, after seeing the tree and the signatures.

During the visit by the group of youths to the museum this past Sunday, a symposium attended by its members and students from China was also held to further promote people-to-people exchange.

"It's meaningful to bring young people from both countries together at such a historic museum. The museum connects the past, the present, and the future and serves as a platform for fostering friendship between Chinese and American young talents," said Zhu Ying, a professor from Southwest University of Political Science and Law, at the symposium.

"I will tell my friends in America about China. I think our relationship is formed through trust, communication, and transparency and there could be a very good connection in the future," said Maggie Melendez, a student from Northern Arizona University.