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China admits daredevil for the sake of tourism

Shanghai - Stunt cost Robert a five-year ban, but he has now scaled that too
Shanghai - Stunt cost Robert a five-year ban, but he has now scaled that too

Daredevil climber Alain Robert has been allowed back in to China to conquer a mountain despite being expelled and given a five-year ban earlier this year.

Dubbed the 'French Spiderman', Mr Robert was kicked out of China in June after illegally climbing the country's tallest building, the 430m Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, without ropes or safety equipment.

Officials managed to persuade authorities to let him back in because his upcoming stunt would help draw tourists to the area, China's state news agency reported.

Mr Robert arrived in central Hunan province yesterday and is due to climb the 1,518m Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie on Sunday.

The 45-year-old will first ascend 1,300 metres in a cable car before scaling the side of a cliff on the mountain side.

Mr Robert was quoted as saying he was confident of reaching the top without the aid of mountaineering equipment because the task was similar to another feat he performed five years ago.

The high-profile 'urban climber' has been tackling the world's tallest buildings - often illegally - since 1994, according to his website.

He was arrested during an attempt to scale Malaysia's 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers in March this year after reaching the 60th floor.

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