Taiwan's ex-leader Lee rejects corruption charges

Taiwan's ex-leader Lee Teng-hui on Friday defended himself in court against corruption charges stemming from his presidency between 1988 and 2000, AFP reports. "I told the judge the indictment is baseless... I didn't do anything," the 89-year-old Lee told reporters after attending a hearing in the Taipei district court. Lee was indicted last year on charges of embezzling $7.79 million from the government's diplomatic slush funds while in office to help set up a private think-tank. He is the second former Taiwanese president to face graft charges, and his successor Chen Shui-bian is currently serving a jail term of 17 years and six months on two bribery convictions. Lee still enjoys support from the island's pro-independence camp and has been a vocal critic of the government's China-friendly policies. He has accused the government of "inventing" the charges to persecute a high-profile critic, prompting incumbent Ma Ying-jeou to deny meddling in his graft case. Lee irked Beijing during his presidency by promoting a separate identity for Taiwan. Beijing fired missiles near the island in 1995 and 1996, triggering a US decision to send two carrier groups to the area. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war but Beijing still sees the self-ruled island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. However, ties have improved markedly in recent years since Ma came to power in 2008.