US delegation wowed by Wuhan's tech and culture

A 100-member delegation from the United States, including descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, as well as teachers and students from the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools visit Wuhan of Hubei province, from July 1 to 5 for a series of cultural and technological activities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Jeffrey Greene, a veteran pilot and chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, led a delegation of around 100 people, including descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, as well as teachers and students from Flying Tigers Friendship Schools, to visit Wuhan of Hubei province, from July 1 to 5 for a series of cultural and technological activities.

They visited the Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, where they saw robots dancing, writing calligraphy, making coffee, pouring hot tea, and played chess and interacted with them.

"I saw videos on Instagram of robots doing little dances, but then they will fall over, and these robots (I see here) can walk on one leg, moving all around. They are totally stable and super cool," said Haley Rasilla, a student in the group. "It exceeds my expectations, way more futuristic than anything I've ever seen in America."

A 100-member delegation from the United States, including descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, as well as teachers and students from the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools visit Wuhan of Hubei province, from July 1 to 5 for a series of cultural and technological activities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The center features a data acquisition site, a simulation training ground, an industrial and commercial application practice zone, an interactive intelligent application practice zone, and an integrated humanoid robot application practice zone.

The group also experienced the suspended monorail vehicle known as the "sky train" at Wuhan's Optics Valley, the first of its kind in China, which hangs from overhead steel tracks rather than rolling on ground rails, a symbol of cutting-edge domestic rail technology.

The transparent floor allows passengers to see sceneries below.

A 100-member delegation from the United States, including descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, as well as teachers and students from the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools visit Wuhan of Hubei province, from July 1 to 5 for a series of cultural and technological activities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Here, you can see various buildings, the cityscape and rivers — it's absolutely stunning, Athena Cushing from Alfred University shared her impressions after riding the train.

They also learned about modernization of Wuhan at Hankow Customs House Museum, watched opera, painted facial masks, and sang and danced together with Chinese youths.

Greene said he hopes the American students will have a wonderful time in Hubei and engage in in-depth exchanges with their Chinese peers.

The shared history and stories of the Flying Tigers will stay with them for the rest of their lives, Greene added.

A 100-member delegation from the United States, including descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, as well as teachers and students from the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools visit Wuhan of Hubei province, from July 1 to 5 for a series of cultural and technological activities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

A 100-member delegation from the United States, including descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, as well as teachers and students from the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools visit Wuhan of Hubei province, from July 1 to 5 for a series of cultural and technological activities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

A 100-member delegation from the United States, including descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, as well as teachers and students from the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools visit Wuhan of Hubei province, from July 1 to 5 for a series of cultural and technological activities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]