MAINLAND UFO SYMPOSIUM CLOSES IN BEIJING

This FBIS report, dated December 7, 1993, details the conclusion of a three-day UFO symposium held in Beijing. The event was historically significant as it was the first of its kind to be attended by researchers from both mainland China and Taiwan. According to Wang Changting, Chairman of the China UFO Research Organization (CURO), over 5,000 sightings have been reported in the mainland, with several hundred more reported in Taiwan. The symposium participants, which included astronomical observatory workers, civil pilots, and military pilots, discussed the nature of these sightings. While some researchers suggested the objects originated from remote galaxies, others posited that they were natural phenomena or man-made satellites. The report notes that the symposium was a continuation of the 1992 International Space Year. Additionally, the document highlights a specific sighting on August 7, 1993, where two rim-linked, hat-like objects were observed soaring over Taipei International Airport for 15 minutes. The report also provides historical context, noting that the first report of a UFO in the United States occurred in 1947, while the topic became widespread in Taiwan in the 1960s and on the mainland in the late 1970s. It mentions that the United Nations called on governments to establish UFO investigation bodies in 1978, leading to the creation of CURO, which is a member of the Chinese government-supported China Association for Science and Technology and claims millions of fans nationwide.