Taiwan faces dilemma as US and Beijing embrace WWII Flying Tigers history
Ruling party uneasy that what could have been a valuable historical connection with the US has ended up benefiting Beijing’s ties
Quick Look
Taiwan's ruling party is concerned after US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping invoked wartime Sino-US cooperation and the Flying Tigers during a summit, benefiting Beijing's ties.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Flying Tigers were a unit of American military personnel who helped defend mainland China against Japanese air attacks during World War II.
Taiwan’s ruling party uneasy that what could have been a valuable historical connection with the US has ended up benefiting Beijing’s ties
Taipei’s dilemma over its history during World War II appeared to deepen as Beijing and Washington looked to the Flying Tigers as a source of connection and goodwill during last month’s Xi–Trump summit.
US President Donald Trump’s description of China as an American ally during the war has raised concerns in Taiwan that what could have been a valuable historical connection with the United States ended up benefiting Beijing’s ties with Washington.
The dilemma resurfaced after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping repeatedly invoked wartime Sino-US cooperation during Xi’s visit to Washington last week.
Trump described China and the US as World War II allies and praised the Flying Tigers – a unit of American military personnel who helped defend mainland China against Japanese air attacks – while Xi recalled the two countries fighting “side by side” against Japanese militarism.
Open Questions
- How will Taiwan respond diplomatically to the shared US-China wartime narrative?
