BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- A "UFO" - or flying saucer - built by a farmer will be part of the Zhuhai International Aviation Exposition due to open in Guangdong Province on Sunday.

    Du Wen, 39, set up the Huanyu UFO Technology Research Institute in Xiao County, Anhui Province, in April and has quickly expanded to a staff of 27, including an aviation expert.

    "I became interested in UFOs when I was a primary school student," he said.

    "After reading a number of magazine articles, I believed a UFO was a superior form of transport to an airplane."

    After graduating from secondary school, Du worked as a truck driver, miner and mechanic, but never gave up his dream of building a UFO.

    In 2002, Du set aside a small amount of money for his family's food expenses and invested his savings in his dream.

    The first UFO produced by Du and his colleagues made a short flight 10 centimeters above the ground last Monday.

    Du said he would focus on building a manned UFO that could carry three or four people for military purposes.

    The cost will be "several hundred thousand yuan."

    Du has already spent more than 400,000 yuan (US$48,192) on the UFO project and he said a lack of money was still the biggest obstacle to pursuing his dream.

    Huang Xiyan, president of a local biological technology company, has given Du's company about 200,000 yuan as financial aid.

    Huang, a former physical education teacher, also offered Du scientific help.

    The 41-year-old businessman said he would continue to support the UFO research.

    "I watched a TV interview on Du in May and I was really moved to see a person strive for his ideal at any cost," he said.

    "It has never occurred to me when my investment in this company will be rewarded, but I'm sure success will come soon."

(Shanghai Daily News)