If I remember correctly, the Flying Tigers (US pilots) went to China pre-WWII to help the Chinese combat the Japanese. I don’t remember ever hearing the Chinese thank them for doing that.
___________________________________________________
The Flying Tigers are famous in China and highly respected and deeply remembered by most Chinese people,especially those living in southwest China.To google “American flying” tiger in simplified Chinese character) could get 1,670,000 results. There are so many news and reports about Flying Tiger in Chinese news websites and forums and blogs:
http://military.china.com/zh_cn/jl/04/11028152/20050322/12185916.html
(Title:The Great Heart of Flying Tiger)
http://www.wenming.cn/2009-03/23/content_16033556.htm
(Title:Flying Tigers Relics Park Start Working) http://www.chinanews.com.cn/tp/shfq/news/2008/11-18/1452796.shtml
(Title:Flying Tiger Soldiers Remembering Fatal Air Wars) http://www.huaxia.com/zt/js/05-058/540468.html
(Title:US Flying Tigers who helped China Defending against Jan an Invading)
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/6373736.html
(Title:Ace of US Flying Tigers Passed away) http://www.china.com.cn/military/txt/2008-07/23/content_16052572.htm
(Title:Searching And Restoring The Crashed Fighter Planes of Lying Tigers In Hubei Province)
http://news.163.com/09/0614/07/5BOJO1G2000120GR.html
(Title:Son of Flying Tiger Soldier donates battle relics to museum of Sichuan) http://www.stdaily.com/pic/content/2008-07/31/content_8580.htm
(Title: Son of A Flying Tiger Soldier came to China to thank the man who had saved his father in air fight)
http://qbar.qq.com/cdjunshi/159.htm
（a lot of photos of Flying Tiger) http://www.defence.org.cn/article-10-15983.html
(Title:US Flying Tigers Beat the Japanese Invaders) http://news.gxnews.com.cn/staticpages/20080323/newgx47e56b13-1424141.shtml
(Title:The Seventh Time The US Flying Tiger Soldiers Revisited Guilin, China) http://ido.3mt.com.cn/Article/200903/show1353040c33p1.html (Title:US Air force Flying Tiger Museum In Sinkiang) http://ilib.cn/A-yndxxb-zxshkxb200403010.html
(Title: The Flying Tiger:An American Assistance to China during the Anti-Japanese War) http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_1983607_1.html
(Title: Whom We Can Never Forget:US Flying Tigers)
http://i.cn.yahoo.com/czgddiz/blog/p_2886/
(Title: Grave of an US Flying Tiger Hero) http://www.fjnet.com/shxx/shxxnr/200505/t20050520_10360.htm
(Title: US Flying Tiger Soldiers Mourn For Sacrificial Comrades In Nanjing) http://www.360doc.com/content/090327/19/19088_2937040.html
(Title: Remembering The Anti-Japanese Heroes:US Flying Tigers)
http://gb.cri.cn/1321/2005/09/08/
(Title: The Battle Legend of US Flying Tigers In China)
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/14562/3630286.html （Title: Bronze Statue of US Flying Tiger Heroes)
http://www.chinaqking.com/%E5%8E%9F%E5%88%9B%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81/2009/29017.html
(Title:Film “Fire of Flying Tiger” Shoot In American) http://www.daichaowu.net/blog/000064.htm
(Blog: Flying Tiger And The Hump Line:History Remain In our Memories Forever)
so on and so on.
Chinese people will and should always honor these great souls despite whoever be in power. while it was not the obligation of US to fight for or help China, as they did, it was a great favor for Chinese people that any thank you is deserved. Anyway, a favor is more of what yourself received than measured by whether it could also benefit the helper.