Eighty years after China and the United States fought side by side in World War II, Beijing's top envoy in Washington said that the two countries must draw on their shared wartime history and recommit to peaceful coexistence and practical cooperation.

Ambassador Xie Feng delivered the message on Wednesday at an art exhibition at the Chinese embassy marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Xie hailed the "heroes" who resisted fascism, from Chinese civilians to foreign volunteers, and recalled how, during what he described as a "decisive war between justice and evil," China and more than 50 nations formed an international anti-fascist front.

"The Flying Tigers soared across the sky to intercept Japanese aggressors, and opened up the treacherous 'Hump Route' over the Roof of the World, writing an epic story in pursuit of peace with their lives," he said.

In 1941, volunteer US pilots, known as the Flying Tigers, fought alongside the Chinese against the Japanese in China.

The ambassador praised foreign artists and journalists, including US illustrator Martha Sawyers and photographer Robert Capa, for rallying support for China during the war.

"Today, to safeguard the post-war international order and protect the Earth, our only home, we still need such heroes, and should act together for peace and for the future," he said.

Xie also pointed to the Doolittle Raid of 1942, when US pilots, running low on fuel after completing their attack on Japan, crash-landed in China.

"Chinese soldiers and civilians spared no effort to rescue the pilots they had never met before," he said, noting that some 250,000 Chinese civilians were killed in Japanese retaliation.

That wartime experience left a lasting imprint on bilateral ties.

"The friendship between the Chinese and American people was forged amid the trials of blood and fire," Xie said, "and has gained new life and injected fresh impetus into bilateral relations over the years."

"It is a constant reminder that China and the US should see each other as a partner and friend, contribute to one another's success and benefit the whole world; that we should never forget what our two peoples went through together in the era of war, and should never waver in our commitment to peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," he added.

The envoy's message was as much about today as yesterday. The lesson of history, he noted, is that "prejudice, hatred and war will bring nothing but disaster and pain," while cooperation offers the only path forward.

"Eight decades ago, our two countries fought against fascism side by side and jointly defended peace and justice. Eight decades later, we have more extensive common interests, broader space for cooperation, and more important international obligations," he said.

As the world's two largest economies and as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and the US share a special and significant responsibility for upholding world peace and stability, and promoting global development and prosperity, Xie said.

The two global powers with vast common interests should coexist peacefully and "get more good things done," he added.

Jeffrey Green, chairman of the US-China Aviation Heritage Foundation, also emphasized the importance of remembering the wartime bond.

Echoing Xie, Green described the sacrifices made by ordinary Chinese in aiding downed US pilots.

"Families risked their lives to hide airmen, dress their wounds and guide them to safety," he said. "Never has one nation's people so consistently risked so much for those of another. This was not merely an alliance. It was humanity at its purest form."

Green noted that the story of the Flying Tigers and the Chinese people's shared struggle and sacrifice is more than a bridge between China and the United States, but "a timeless testament to the power of solidarity".

"May this legacy continue to inspire all of us to look beyond borders, to cherish our shared humanity and to walk together toward a future of mutual respect and lasting peace and a common destiny," he said.

David Frazer, a professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, stressed the role of culture in bridging divides today.

"Despite the political differences that exist today between our great countries, global appreciation for the arts transcends these differences," he said.

Frazer called art a "diplomatic tool that promises hope for the future with peace and prosperity for all our people."

He called for the legacy of solidarity to continue.

"I'm sure that everyone here this evening hopes that our futures promise, dearly, truly … that our two countries will live in peaceful coexistence and will prosper together in healthy economic competition with friendship and, most importantly, respect," he said.

More than 200 guests, including US dignitaries, attended the commemorative exhibition, jointly organized with State broadcaster China Central Television.

huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com