Yellowing graduation certificates, a large collection of black and white photos, humming the melody of 'I am a soldier'... Far across the ocean, recalling a story with China more than half a century ago, Manuel Rojas Garcia, a retired Cuban pilot and former vice president of Cuban Airlines, has tears in his eyes. Recently, the story of "Cuban grandfather who came to China to participate in pilot training" attracted wide attention on the Internet, and many netizens were deeply moved by the medieval friendship that spanned more than half a century behind the story. On February 10, the Chinese Embassy in Cuba invited Cuban pilots and their families who had studied in China to celebrate the Yuanxiao (Filled round balls made of glutinous rice-flour for Lantern Festival). Rojas is one of the retired Cuban pilots invited to participate. In the early 1960s, Cuba urgently needed to train a group of pilots to build an independent defense force. Under the care of the leaders of the two countries, 16-year-old Rojas and his companions embarked on a journey to their "second homeland". Rojas said that their group of more than 200 people, with an average age of less than 20 years old, were sent to China to learn flight and aircraft maintenance techniques, becoming one of the earliest Cuban student groups to study in China after the 1960 Sino Cuban Cultural Exchange. "At that time, China was also in the early stage of development and construction, and the Chinese people were still tightening their belts. They still did not hesitate to accept us, giving us the best quality training and the warmest care." Rojas said. Recalling his life back then, Rojas still remembers vividly: "Every day, in addition to learning theoretical knowledge and conducting flight training, we also participate in physical exercise. Chinese instructors take great care of us, and in order to help everyone improve their cultural level, the school organized study groups, each with a high-level student to lead everyone in learning. In addition to studying, Chinese instructors also taught us to sing Chinese military songs. We competed with Chinese classmates to see who could sing well. Now, my children and grandchildren still sing these songs." Rojas was deeply impressed by the professional qualities and rigorous style of Chinese instructors. Our training is extremely rigorous, and every flight maneuver needs to be repeatedly practiced on the ground to ensure precise operation in the air. This training method has benefited me for life, "said Rojas. In addition to flying skills, he also learned teamwork and perseverance. Chinese instructors also taught us how to face various adversity and setbacks, as well as virtues such as humility, prudence, strict discipline, diligence, and thrift. After systematic learning, Rojas and his companions successfully completed their studies and returned to Cuba to become air force pilots. In his subsequent military career, Rojas received numerous honors and commendations, and ultimately was promoted to the rank of colonel. He said that the training methods and spirit he learned in China have always supported him. I have successfully completed flight missions under hypoxic conditions, which cannot be separated from the coping skills taught by Chinese instructors. For many years, Rojas has been following China's development and deeply admires China's tremendous achievements. Today, China's economy is booming, technology is advancing, and people's living standards are constantly improving. He expressed his hope to have the opportunity to return to China in the future and witness the great changes that have taken place on this land that once shaped him. My heart will always yearn for China Rojas said emotionally, "China has taught me many valuable things, and this influence is not only reflected in my personal growth, but also in the friendship and cooperation between China and ancient times. I believe that the younger generation will continue to deepen the friendship between China and ancient times and work together towards a better future