He endured Japanese imperial rule, a lost limb in World War II, Chinese martial law and decades in exile to become a leading force for Taiwanese self-determination.
Taipei, April 8 (CNA) Peng Ming-min (彭明敏), a political dissident turned presidential candidate whose life mirrored Taiwan's transition from an authoritarian state to a democracy, has died at the age of 98.
‘SPIRITUAL LEADER’: Peng lived in exile abroad for his pro-democracy writings, before retuning in the 1990s and running as the DPP’s first presidential candidate in 1996By Huang Chia-lin and Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA
Taiwanese democracy pioneer Peng Ming-min (彭明敏), whose advocacy helped the nation transition from an authoritarian state, died yesterday morning at the age of 98.
In announcing his passing on Facebook, the Peng Foundation for Culture and Education said there would be no public funeral, and that Peng would be cremated and interred at the Yanguang Cemetery in Kaohsiung’s Daliao District (大寮).
Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) yesterday said that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was saddened by the news, describing Peng as not only a renowned legal academic, but also a trailblazer in Taiwan’s democracy movement.
Peng inspired generations of Taiwanese to safeguard