MAINLAND UFO SYMPOSIUM CLOSES IN BEIJING

This document, a Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) report dated December 7, 1993, details the conclusion of a three-day UFO symposium held in Beijing. The event was notable for being the first of its kind to include researchers from both mainland China and Taiwan. According to the report, nearly 6,000 UFO sightings have been documented across the Taiwan Straits, with some experts claiming that certain sightings defy rational explanation. The symposium participants, which included astronomical observatory workers, civil pilots, and military pilots, debated the origins of these phenomena. Theories presented included the possibility of extraterrestrial life from other solar systems, natural phenomena, or man-made objects such as lightning bolts or satellites. The document highlights that the China UFO Research Organization (CURO), a member of the Chinese government-supported China Association for Science and Technology, maintains a membership of 3,600 individuals with millions of fans nationwide. The report also references a specific sighting on August 7, 1993, where two rim-linked, hat-like objects were observed soaring over Taipei International Airport for 15 minutes. Historically, the document notes that the first report of a UFO in the United States occurred in 1947, with the topic becoming widespread in Taiwan in the 1960s and on the mainland in the late 1970s. Furthermore, it mentions that in 1978, the United Nations called upon governments to establish UFO investigation bodies, leading to the formation of CURO.