More than 80 years ago, high above the jagged peaks of the Himalayas, American and Chinese pilots braved the perilous “Hump” air route from India to China.
They flew weapons, fuel and medical supplies into China to support its fight against Japan during World War II.
They returned with Chinese strategic minerals – including tungsten and tin – that fed Allied weapons factories and helped secure victory.
That wartime cooperation between China and the United States was a two-way lifeline, forged out of shared necessity.
Now, as the two powers navigate tensions over rare earths and advanced technology, the wartime bond offers a striking contrast – and perhaps a lesson – for their fraught relationship today, according to a leading Chinese historian.
“The lesson here is that we should cooperate because it benefits everyone,” said Li Xuetong, a researcher with the Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
