Cloudy in Beijing Blogging about my time in China

Former enemies

About an hour drive away from Beijing is the National Aviation Museum, where China's military heroism is out in full display.

Pictured above is a Chinese F-7 fighter jet，which went into service for the People's Liberation Army during the mid to late 60's. Proudly written on a nearby display reads: "The PLA Air Force pilots once shot down 4 U.S. pilotless reconnaissance aircraft driving this kind of fighter."

A few other Chinese planes at the museum also had the noteworthy distinction of having taken down a few American aircraft.

I visited the museum the other day with my aunt and her family. Me being a Chinese-American, my aunt made an observation upon seeing the aircraft from the Korean War: "Back in those days, I would have been the enemy," she said.

Things have changed for the better. But it's not exactly like relations between China and America are rosy or anything. Rift Grows as U.S. and China Seek Differing Goals reads one of the headlines in today's edition of The New York Times.

I'm guessing relations will be just as tense, if not more in the future as the U.S. has to contend with an emerging China. I just hope any sort of military hostility between the two countries will remain something of the past.