China-US WWII friendship explored in Nixon Library exhibition

Former President of the Nixon Foundation Sandy Quinn speaks during the opening ceremony of the photo exhibition "Salute to Friendship - Images Narrate China-US Collaboration During World War II" at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda City of California, the United States, July 23, 2014. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun)

An exhibition of nearly 100 pictures taken by American photographers and soldiers in China during World War Two opened at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum on Wednesday.

Rather than showing the battlefield, the images reflect Chinese and American people interacting during their everyday lives, such as playing sports together, reading and playing music.

The exhibition, titled "Salute to Friendship, Images Narrate China-US Collaboration During World War II," is co-presented by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the Richard Nixon Foundation.

"Forty-two years ago, President Richard Nixon paid a historic visit to China. I think it couldn't be more appropriate to hold this exhibition again at Nixon Library," said CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin at the opening.

Li said that 70 years ago, thousands of American air defense personnel arrived in China to fight Japanese aggression. More than 30 million Chinese soldiers and civilians, as well as more than two thousand US personnel, sacrificed their lives.

"Next year will be the 70th anniversary of the victory over fascism, today we have to remember history and face the future together. And that is why we are having this exhibition," Li said.

Grandson of President Nixon, Christopher Nixon Cox, told Xinhua: "I think that just shows how strong and important it is for us (to be) engaging culture exchanges and to see how people can really learn from each other and how they can develop a deeper friendship, corporation. And that is really what I take from the exhibit."

The exhibit is open to the public for free and will stay in the library for several weeks before moving to Sunnylands, California, where President Barack Obama met Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.