Forestry department officials of central-south China's Hunan Province have praised the Russian Air Force's decision not to permit an aerobatics team to fly through the Tianmen Hole as a "wise decision."

 

"We are very happy to hear that the Russian aircrafts will not fly through the Tianmen Hole," said Hu Changqing, deputy head and press officer of the provincial forestry department, at a press conference on Saturday.

 

Mount Tianmen is the second national forest in Zhangjiajie and it first played host to a world aerobatic competition in 1999.

 

Local media had reported that the Russian SU-27 fighter jet will perform a stunt that involves flying through the Tianmen Hole, cut in the mountain 132 meters above the ground, 60 meters in deep and 57 meters wide.

 

Yet the Russian Air Force confirmed on Friday that they will not fly through the hole.

 

Bizhev Aitech, deputy chief of the Russian Air Force, said the decision was made after considering ecological and environmental protection, since heavy aircraft can cause powerful air currents when flying low that might damage both the aircraft and the cave.

 

 

The Russian aerobatic team "Russian Knights" launched its first aerobatic show at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park on Friday. "This year is the Year of Russia in China," said He Tongxin, vice- governor of Hunan Province at an earlier time. "It is expected that this performance will strengthen the friendship between China and Russia."

 

Hu said although developing tourism resources is crucial to many forest parks, the protection of natural resources is the priority. He thanked the Russian Air Force for their consideration.

 

In 1982, Zhangjiajie built China's first forest park and currently Hunan Province has 72 forest parks, 27 of which are at state level.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2006)