On October 23, 2026, retired Air Force Major General from the Republic of China, and former Principal of the Air Force Academy, Tian Zaimai, visited New York. He was invited by the New York Association of Air Force Alumni to share his historical work “Flying Tigers: A Legacy” with his fellow alumni. The book narrates the history of the Flying Tigers’ assistance to China in resisting Japan during World War II, and the camaraderie between military personnel from China and the United States as they fought side by side. Tian emphasized the importance of accurately preserving the history of the Flying Tigers and not allowing it to be distorted for political purposes.
General Tian Zaimai spent over 26 years collecting historical materials, interviewing first-generation Flying Tigers and their descendants to write the book “Preserving the historical legacy of the Flying Tigers.” The book details the accomplishments of the Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group, AVG), the China-Burma-India Theater Air Force (CATF), the 14th Air Force, and the Sino-American Joint Combat Squad in the Anti-Japanese War, as well as the process of maintaining the supply line to assist China.
In an interview with this newspaper, General Tian Zaimai mentioned that a few years ago, the former Chinese diplomat, Qin Gang, misrepresented the history of the Flying Tigers during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the group’s founding. Therefore, Tian wrote a rebuttal on Facebook, hoping to restore the true historical facts.
He stressed, “The Flying Tigers are part of the history of the Republic of China and of China forever, but not of the Chinese Communist Party.”
General Tian Zaimai pointed out that the Flying Tigers cooperated with the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China at that time, not with the communist regime. “Who fought in the eight-year war of resistance? It was the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China, not the Communist Party.”
Former President of the Greater New York Air Force Alumni Association and current Secretary-General, Xie Cuiping, mentioned that the seminar was facilitated by the Secretary-General of the Taipei Headquarters, He Youxin. This event not only enhanced the camaraderie among alumni but also allowed participants to reacquaint themselves with the history, glory, and mission of the Air Force.
She stated that the discipline, courage, responsibility, and patriotism represented by the Air Force embody the belief of a generation of soldiers who sacrificed and dedicated themselves to the country.
Yan Liangwei, the grandson of the renowned Chinese artist Zhang Shanzhi, who was famous for his tiger paintings, also attended the seminar. During the war, Zhang Shanzhi presented a painting of a tiger to Claire Chennault, expressing support for the American assistance to China in the fight against Japan. Yan Liangwei mentioned that he learned about General Tian Zaimai’s analysis of the history of the Flying Tigers and Qin Gang’s related remarks through the New Tang Dynasty TV program hosted by Fuyao, which led him to reconnect with General Tian to revisit the historical connection between his grandfather and the Flying Tigers. He also expressed gratitude to The Epoch Times and New Tang Dynasty TV for their coverage of this history.
During the seminar, General Tian Zaimai used a projector to present the contents of “Flying Tigers: A Legacy” page by page to the Air Force alumni in New York, and he presented the book to the President of the Greater New York Air Force Alumni Association, Zu Naiyuan.