Chinese city to build UFO research center

A Taiwanese company has put up $20 million to build a UFO research base in China's southern province of Guizhou, where aliens are said to have visited in 1994.

Residents of Baiyun district in Guiyang, the provincial capital, hope the institute will look into the odd phenomena they experienced Nov. 30, 1994, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

On that date, nearly 70 acres of pine trees on a tree farm mysteriously fell down, while nearby plastic shelters remained intact.

A truck factory reported steel pipes strangely broken, a huge truck moved more than 20 yards, and a night shift employee pulled into the air by an "unknown force."

Local residents attributed the odd occurrences to UFOs, but scientists sent to investigate blamed them on thunder, lightning and tornados.

Wang Fangchen, a biologist who visited the site shortly after the reported events, called the UFO research plan "ridiculous," but said he would not oppose it if it would attract tourists to the city.

Zhou Xiaoqiang, secretary general of the Beijing UFO Research Association, said people often mistake planes, clouds, insects and shadows for UFOs. "If aliens really came, they would more likely appear before our eyes politely than hide themselves," he said.

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