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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Former Taiwan president detained | Former Taiwan president detained |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Taiwan's former President Chen Shui-bian has been detained in connection with corruption claims. | Taiwan's former President Chen Shui-bian has been detained in connection with corruption claims. |
| Mr Chen spent much of Tuesday being questioned by prosecutors in Taipei, before being led away in handcuffs. | Mr Chen spent much of Tuesday being questioned by prosecutors in Taipei, before being led away in handcuffs. |
| He is accused of money laundering and illegally using a special presidential fund during his eight years in office, which ended in May. | He is accused of money laundering and illegally using a special presidential fund during his eight years in office, which ended in May. |
| He denies any wrongdoing, and accuses the new administration of persecuting him to bow to the wishes of Beijing. | He denies any wrongdoing, and accuses the new administration of persecuting him to bow to the wishes of Beijing. |
| Mr Chen is an ardent supporter of Taiwanese independence, and a trenchant critic of President Ma Ying-jeou's Kuomintang (KMT) administration, which he accuses of pandering to Beijing. | Mr Chen is an ardent supporter of Taiwanese independence, and a trenchant critic of President Ma Ying-jeou's Kuomintang (KMT) administration, which he accuses of pandering to Beijing. |
| His arrest comes days after a historic visit to the island by a senior Chinese envoy was marred by violent protests. | His arrest comes days after a historic visit to the island by a senior Chinese envoy was marred by violent protests. |
| Political persecution? | Political persecution? |
| The former leader, who held power from 2000 to 2008, spent more than six hours in the prosecutor's office on Tuesday answering questions about corruption. | The former leader, who held power from 2000 to 2008, spent more than six hours in the prosecutor's office on Tuesday answering questions about corruption. |
| The KMT and the Chinese Communist Party see me as their number one prisoner as I am the biggest stone blocking their way to reunification Chen Shui-bian class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2172980.stm">Profile: Chen Shui-bian | |
| As he was led out towards a waiting vehicle, he put his handcuffed hands in the air and shouted "political persecution" to an audience of dozens of protesting supporters. | As he was led out towards a waiting vehicle, he put his handcuffed hands in the air and shouted "political persecution" to an audience of dozens of protesting supporters. |
| "The KMT and the Chinese Communist Party see me as their number one prisoner as I am the biggest stone blocking their way to reunification," Mr Chen told reporters, according to the French news agency AFP. | "The KMT and the Chinese Communist Party see me as their number one prisoner as I am the biggest stone blocking their way to reunification," Mr Chen told reporters, according to the French news agency AFP. |
| He said the Chinese envoy, Chen Yunlin, "had a bad time in Taiwan... so Ma Ying-jeou wants to put me in jail as a sacrifice to appease China. I am very honoured and proud to play such a role." | He said the Chinese envoy, Chen Yunlin, "had a bad time in Taiwan... so Ma Ying-jeou wants to put me in jail as a sacrifice to appease China. I am very honoured and proud to play such a role." |
| And the former president vowed not to be "imprisoned in vain". | And the former president vowed not to be "imprisoned in vain". |
| Although he has been detained, it appears he has yet to be formally arrested. However he clearly expects to be, and said so at a news conference earlier in the day. | Although he has been detained, it appears he has yet to be formally arrested. However he clearly expects to be, and said so at a news conference earlier in the day. |
| 'Embezzlement' | 'Embezzlement' |
| Mr Chen and his family have been mired in corruption allegations since 2006, when his son-in-law was charged with insider trading on the stock market and then jailed for seven years. | Mr Chen and his family have been mired in corruption allegations since 2006, when his son-in-law was charged with insider trading on the stock market and then jailed for seven years. |
| The former president is under investigation for allegedly embezzling 14.8 million Taiwan dollars (US$480,500; £306,000) from the government. | The former president is under investigation for allegedly embezzling 14.8 million Taiwan dollars (US$480,500; £306,000) from the government. |
| The charges have damaged the reputation of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), observers say, which now faces a rough ride in local elections next year. | The charges have damaged the reputation of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), observers say, which now faces a rough ride in local elections next year. |
| Taiwan has been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949; the defeated Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan to create a self-governing entity. | Taiwan has been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949; the defeated Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan to create a self-governing entity. |
| But Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province which should be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. | But Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province which should be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. |