China-daily

Authorities in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province, announced Mondaythat they had received 160 million yuan (US$20 million) from aTaiwan-based company to construct a UFO research base.Some people in the city's Baiyun District believe they were visited byaliens in 1994, and with this new research base, they hope toreproduce the mysterious moment, through photos and historicaldocumentation.On November 30, 1994, more than 27 hectares of masson pines in aforest farm in the district mysteriously fell down. However, nearbyplastic shelters stood intact.An adjacent truck factory reported similar enigmas: steel pipes werestrangely broken; a huge truck was found more than 20 metres away fromits original place; an employee on the night shift said he had beenpulled up in the air by an "unknown" force.While some thought it was UFOs that did all these strange things,scientists said after a field trip that thunder, lightning andtornados were the probable causes.Wang Fangchen, a biologist who visited the site right after the event,said the city's plan to build a UFO research base is "ridiculous.""Where do they recruit scientists for the research?" he asked, beforeadding: "I won't oppose it if they just want to promote local tourismthrough the programme."Li Jing, a senior astronomer with the National AstronomicalObservatories, echoed the view.Li said China does not have an official UFO research institute because"it needs scientists of various disciplines.""It can be an atmospheric phenomenon, or a biological issue, or aphysical reaction," Li said."People often mistake planes, clouds and insects, as well as strangeshadows on photographs, as being UFOs," said Zhou Xiaoqiang,secretary-general with the Beijing UFO Research Association."If aliens really came, they would more likely appear before our eyespolitely than hide themselves."