"I feel that the bond between the United States and China has been so strong these past decades," Lili Li says. "For me, being able to carry that connection forward, especially in today's world, is one of the most important things."

During their visit to Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the delegation learned about the heroic "Hump Route" over the Himalayas, which was used to deliver vital supplies to Chinese troops fighting Japanese invaders.

"We learned about how they supported China and how the Chinese supported the Americans during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," says Giacomo Weil, a student from Central High School in Philadelphia.

"The Chinese made a ton of sacrifices and gave up their food so that the Flying Tigers could fly and make missions against the Japanese. It was really awesome to see that beautiful link between China and the United States," says Weil, 18.