Taiwan's former president Lee Teng-hui, who defied China and earned the nickname "Mr Democracy" for the part he played in the island's transition away from authoritarian rule, has died.&nbsp;

He was credited with paving the way for Taiwan to become a modern, free society after decades of one-party dictatorship and became a champion of the island's bid to be treated as a sovereign state internationally.

Lee had been in hospital since February after choking on some food and had a history in recent years of chronic illnesses.

He died on Thursday aged 97, of septic shock and multiple organ failure, Taipei Veterans General Hospital vice president Hwang Shinn-jang told reporters.

Lee's 1988-2000 term in office was marked by growing cross-strait tensions as he pitched himself against Beijing, infuriating Chinese authorities for daring to carve out a separate identity for Taiwan.

Despite being self-ruled since 1949, Taiwan has never formally declared independence from the mainland and Beijing has vowed to react with force if it ever does.&nbsp;

China still regards Taiwan as part of its territory.&nbsp;

Born into a colony&nbsp; 
Lee was born in Taiwan in 1923 and educated in Japan, which at the time ruled the island as a colony.

In 1945 Taiwan was handed back to China, then under the rule of Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) leader Chiang Kai-shek.&nbsp;

After Chiang lost a civil war to communist forces four years later, he fled to Taiwan to set up a rival government.

Ruling with an iron fist, Chiang instigated a "White Terror" purge of opponents which lasted until his death in 1975.&nbsp;

Lee, a professor of agricultural economics, was introduced to Chiang's son Chiang Ching-kuo in the 1970s and gained his trust.&nbsp;

By 1984 Lee was vice president and four years later was appointed leader following the younger Chiang's death, becoming the island's first Taiwan-born president.

China missiles&nbsp;

Martial law had already been lifted by the younger Chiang in 1987 but it was Lee who drove forward Taiwan's largely peaceful transition into a fully functional democracy.

His government introduced wide-ranging political reforms, including the election of a new parliament and a direct vote for president.&nbsp;

Lee then won Taiwan's first ever public leadership elections in 1996, which he took by a landslide despite threats from Beijing.

China fired ballistic missiles into the Taiwan Strait in a bid to stop voters choosing Lee, prompting the US to send warships to the area.

Once in office, Lee urged local firms to avoid extensive investments in China, promoting a separate cultural identity from the mainland, which in turn branded him a "sinner" and "splittist".

Lee was succeeded by Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2000 when the KMT lost for the first time.&nbsp;

Lee's commitment to formally declaring an independent Taiwan only became clear after he stepped down and helped found the Taiwan Solidarity Union which advocates a split from China, a move that prompted the KMT to expel him from the party.&nbsp;

After Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT succeeded Chen in 2008 and oversaw a rapprochement with China, Lee became a vocal critic of the government's Beijing-friendly policies.

He was indicted on corruption charges in 2011 but was acquitted and accused the Ma government of "inventing" offences to persecute him.

Since 2016, Taiwan has been run by president Tsai Ing-wen who is also loathed by Beijing because she views the island as a sovereign state.

In a statement she described Lee as "irreplaceable, and his passing is a tremendous loss to our country".&nbsp;

A spokeswoman for Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office -- the mainland's top body overseeing policy towards the island -- said Taiwan independence was a "dead end".

"The historical trend of national reunification... cannot be stopped by anyone or any forces," said Zhu Fenglian on Thursday.

China's nationalistic state-run Global Times newspaper meanwhile labelled Lee the "godfather of Taiwan secessionism".

"Lee's death is definitely not sad news to most people in the Chinese mainland," the tabloid wrote.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered condolences, saying Washington would celebrate Lee by "continuing to strengthen our bond with Taiwan and its vibrant democracy".

Taiwan's former president Lee Teng-hui, who defied China and earned the nickname "Mr Democracy" for the part he played in the island's transition away from authoritarian rule, has died.

Taiwan's former president Lee Teng-hui, who defied China and earned the nickname "Mr Democracy" for the part he played in the island's transition away from authoritarian rule, has died. He was credited with paving the way for Taiwan to become a modern, free society after decades of one-party dictatorship and became a champion of the island's bid to be treated as a sovereign state internationally. Lee had been in hospital since February after choking on some food and had a history in recent years of chronic illnesses. He died on Thursday aged 97, of septic shock and multiple organ failure, Taipei Veterans General Hospital vice president Hwang Shinn-jang told reporters. Lee's 1988-2000 term in office was marked by growing cross-strait tensions as he pitched himself against Beijing, infuriating Chinese authorities for daring to carve out a separate identity for Taiwan. Despite being self-ruled since 1949, Taiwan has never formally declared independence from the mainland and Beijing has vowed to react with force if it ever does. China still regards Taiwan as part of its territory. Born into a colony Lee was born in Taiwan in 1923 and educated in Japan, which at the time ruled the island as a colony. In 1945 Taiwan was handed back to China, then under the rule of Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) leader Chiang Kai-shek. After Chiang lost a civil war to communist forces four years later, he fled to Taiwan to set up a rival government. Ruling with an iron fist, Chiang instigated a "White Terror" purge of opponents which lasted until his death in 1975. Lee, a professor of agricultural economics, was introduced to Chiang's son Chiang Ching-kuo in the 1970s and gained his trust. By 1984 Lee was vice president and four years later was appointed leader following the younger Chiang's death, becoming the island's first Taiwan-born president. China missiles Martial law had already been lifted by the younger Chiang in 1987 but it was Lee who drove forward Taiwan's largely peaceful transition into a fully functional democracy. His government introduced wide-ranging political reforms, including the election of a new parliament and a direct vote for president. Lee then won Taiwan's first ever public leadership elections in 1996, which he took by a landslide despite threats from Beijing. China fired ballistic missiles into the Taiwan Strait in a bid to stop voters choosing Lee, prompting the US to send warships to the area. Once in office, Lee urged local firms to avoid extensive investments in China, promoting a separate cultural identity from the mainland, which in turn branded him a "sinner" and "splittist". Lee was succeeded by Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2000 when the KMT lost for the first time. Lee's commitment to formally declaring an independent Taiwan only became clear after he stepped down and helped found the Taiwan Solidarity Union which advocates a split from China, a move that prompted the KMT to expel him from the party. After Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT succeeded Chen in 2008 and oversaw a rapprochement with China, Lee became a vocal critic of the government's Beijing-friendly policies. He was indicted on corruption charges in 2011 but was acquitted and accused the Ma government of "inventing" offences to persecute him. Since 2016, Taiwan has been run by president Tsai Ing-wen who is also loathed by Beijing because she views the island as a sovereign state. In a statement she described Lee as "irreplaceable, and his passing is a tremendous loss to our country". A spokeswoman for Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office -- the mainland's top body overseeing policy towards the island -- said Taiwan independence was a "dead end". "The historical trend of national reunification... cannot be stopped by anyone or any forces," said Zhu Fenglian on Thursday. China's nationalistic state-run Global Times newspaper meanwhile labelled Lee the "godfather of Taiwan secessionism". "Lee's death is definitely not sad news to most people in the Chinese mainland," the tabloid wrote. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered condolences, saying Washington would celebrate Lee by "continuing to strengthen our bond with Taiwan and its vibrant democracy".

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At a raucous&nbsp;election&nbsp;rally for Taiwanese President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-voting-begins-in-polls-closely-watched-by-china-273500">Tsai Ing-wen</a>,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Konger Karen Leung surveyed the huge crowd of excited flag-waving voters as a rap song blasted over the loudspeakers and sighed: "We&nbsp;want&nbsp;to have&nbsp;elections&nbsp;like this."

Leung is one of the scores of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-airplane-brought-down-due-to-human-error-iran-273506">Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;election</a>&nbsp;tourists&nbsp;who have travelled to&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;this week to witness something denied to them universal suffrage.

Tsai, who is seeking a second term, has repeatedly invoked the seven months of pro-democracy protests engulfing the financial hub as a warning call for what might happen should Beijing succeed in its wish to one day take control of&nbsp;Taiwan.

Her opponent <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-2020-china-friendly-han-kuo-yu-challenges-president-tsai-ing-wen-273288">Han Kuo-yu</a> of the Kuomintang party favours warmer ties with China but has also promised to defend the island's freedoms.

<img alt="Han Kuo-Yu, presidential candidate for Taiwan, casts his ballot as he votes " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5d1953d-f3ca-44f3-b469-1876cb061aad" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2813%29_4.jpg" /> 
[ Han Kuo-Yu, presidential candidate for Taiwan, casts his ballot as he votes at Linyuan District in Kaohsiung&nbsp;(Courtesy: AFP)&nbsp;]

In the days running up to Saturday's presidential and parliamentary&nbsp;elections,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kongers have become an increasingly common sight at Tsai's&nbsp;rallies.

"I feel like there is hope here (in&nbsp;Taiwan)," Leung, a 26-year-old accountant, told reporters&nbsp;after getting a tote bag stamped with&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's pro-democracy protests slogans at a booth on the sidelines of Tsai's final rally on Friday night.

"Taiwan&nbsp;has its freedom and they are standing up to China," she added.

She also took on twitter and wrote: "Tomorrow, the power rests in our hands. Let’s show the world that the light of democracy burns strong in #Taiwan. Get out and vote!"

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tomorrow, the power rests in our hands. Let’s show the world that the light of democracy burns strong in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taiwan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taiwan</a>. Get out &amp; vote! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taiwan2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taiwan2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsWin2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsWin2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/YB4dQg7XlK">pic.twitter.com/YB4dQg7XlK</a>
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) <a href="https://twitter.com/iingwen/status/1215588814237757440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Hong&nbsp;Kong's democracy activists have long maintained close ties with Taipei, an island that transitioned from decades of dictatorship into one of Asia's most liberal democracies.

But months of violent pro-democracy protests in the city has intensified Taiwanese interest&nbsp;as debate rages about how close to tack to its giant authoritarian neighbour.

The phrase "Today&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong, tomorrow&nbsp;Taiwan" has become a popular slogan among supporters of Tsai's ruling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-has-urgent-need-for-infiltration-law-in-face-of-china-president-tsai-ing-wen-270657">Democratic Progressive Party</a> (DPP).

Kyle, a 26-year-old&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Konger at Tsai's Friday night rally, said he took inspiration from how&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;shook off its own dictatorship under Kuomintang leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-terror-hong-kongs-china-critics-beaten-in-targeted-attacks-257848">Chiang Kai-shek</a> and also have resisted pressure from Beijing's communist leadership.

Watch:&nbsp;A brief analysis of Taiwan elections 2020

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"The people of&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;bled and even sacrificed their lives until they had democracy," he said.

"In&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong, we only have struggled for several years in fighting for democracy, so there is no reason for us to give up so quickly."

The island does not recognise the concept of asylum. But under Tsai's administration, officials have turned a blind eye to dozens of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kongers who have fled there and Taiwanese supporters have also sent gas masks and helmets to protesters.

"The movement in the past year has brought&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-2020-china-friendly-han-kuo-yu-challenges-president-tsai-ing-wen-273288">Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and&nbsp;Taiwan</a>&nbsp;closer," Ivy, a 36-year-old social worker who travelled from the city, told reporters.

"Taiwan&nbsp;has helped&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong. They didn't drive away from the&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;youngsters who fled our city," she said at the Tsai rally.

A smattering of the financial hub's flag and pro-demonstration slogans have now become commonplace at Tsai's&nbsp;rallies.

<img alt="Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen waves after voting at a polling station in Chunghe district" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="eac3bef5-046e-414a-b22e-5872cbfc3528" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2814%29_6.jpg" /> 
[ Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen waves&nbsp;after voting at a polling station in Chunghe district (Courtesy: AFP) ]

When Tsai appeared at a Thursday night rally, the crowd shouted the popular protest chant: "Free&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong, the revolution of our times."

Some Taiwanese have even dressed up as protesters from the restive city.

A 19-year-old, who gave his surname Lu, was greeting participants draped in a pro-democracy&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;flag and wearing a yellow construction helmet, a symbol of the city's protests, and holding a placard urging young people to&nbsp;vote.

"I'm showing my support for the&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;frontline protesters who are fighting the police," he said. "I am worried that what's happening in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;could happen in&nbsp;Taiwan."

At a raucous election rally for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Hong Konger Karen Leung surveyed the huge crowd of excited flag-waving voters as a rap song blasted over the loudspeakers and sighed: "We want to have elections like this.

At a raucous election rally for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Hong Konger Karen Leung surveyed the huge crowd of excited flag-waving voters as a rap song blasted over the loudspeakers and sighed: "We want to have elections like this." Leung is one of the scores of Hong Kong election tourists who have travelled to Taiwan this week to witness something denied to them universal suffrage. Tsai, who is seeking a second term, has repeatedly invoked the seven months of pro-democracy protests engulfing the financial hub as a warning call for what might happen should Beijing succeed in its wish to one day take control of Taiwan. Her opponent Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang party favours warmer ties with China but has also promised to defend the island's freedoms. [ Han Kuo-Yu, presidential candidate for Taiwan, casts his ballot as he votes at Linyuan District in Kaohsiung (Courtesy: AFP) ] In the days running up to Saturday's presidential and parliamentary elections, Hong Kongers have become an increasingly common sight at Tsai's rallies. "I feel like there is hope here (in Taiwan)," Leung, a 26-year-old accountant, told reporters after getting a tote bag stamped with Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests slogans at a booth on the sidelines of Tsai's final rally on Friday night. "Taiwan has its freedom and they are standing up to China," she added. She also took on twitter and wrote: "Tomorrow, the power rests in our hands. Let’s show the world that the light of democracy burns strong in #Taiwan. Get out and vote!" Tomorrow, the power rests in our hands. Let’s show the world that the light of democracy burns strong in #Taiwan. Get out & vote! #Taiwan2020 #LetsWin2020 pic.twitter.com/YB4dQg7XlK — 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) January 10, 2020 × Hong Kong's democracy activists have long maintained close ties with Taipei, an island that transitioned from decades of dictatorship into one of Asia's most liberal democracies. But months of violent pro-democracy protests in the city has intensified Taiwanese interest as debate rages about how close to tack to its giant authoritarian neighbour. The phrase "Today Hong Kong, tomorrow Taiwan" has become a popular slogan among supporters of Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Kyle, a 26-year-old Hong Konger at Tsai's Friday night rally, said he took inspiration from how Taiwan shook off its own dictatorship under Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek and also have resisted pressure from Beijing's communist leadership. Watch: A brief analysis of Taiwan elections 2020 Video Embed Code: × "The people of Taiwan bled and even sacrificed their lives until they had democracy," he said. "In Hong Kong, we only have struggled for several years in fighting for democracy, so there is no reason for us to give up so quickly." The island does not recognise the concept of asylum. But under Tsai's administration, officials have turned a blind eye to dozens of Hong Kongers who have fled there and Taiwanese supporters have also sent gas masks and helmets to protesters. "The movement in the past year has brought Hong Kong and Taiwan closer," Ivy, a 36-year-old social worker who travelled from the city, told reporters. "Taiwan has helped Hong Kong. They didn't drive away from the Hong Kong youngsters who fled our city," she said at the Tsai rally. A smattering of the financial hub's flag and pro-demonstration slogans have now become commonplace at Tsai's rallies. [ Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen waves after voting at a polling station in Chunghe district (Courtesy: AFP) ] When Tsai appeared at a Thursday night rally, the crowd shouted the popular protest chant: "Free Hong Kong, the revolution of our times." Some Taiwanese have even dressed up as protesters from the restive city. A 19-year-old, who gave his surname Lu, was greeting participants draped in a pro-democracy Hong Kong flag and wearing a yellow construction helmet, a symbol of the city's protests, and holding a placard urging young people to vote. "I'm showing my support for the Hong Kong frontline protesters who are fighting the police," he said. "I am worried that what's happening in Hong Kong could happen in Taiwan."

Taiwan Election 2020: Hong Kong tourist cites 'We want this' during election rally

For Pan Hsin-hsing the sight and smell of lilies held a particular horror for many years, &nbsp;the pungent flowers decorated the room where his executed father lay before the funeral.

He was just six years old when Pan Mu-chih, a doctor and local politician, was arrested, tortured and killed in a 1947 massacre that was the precursor to years of political purges in Taiwan, known as the &quot;White Terror&quot;.

A last note from his father was scribbled on a cigarette pack given to him by a sympathetic jailer and smuggled out to the family.&nbsp;

&quot;Don&#39;t be sad, I die for the residents of our city. I die with no regret,&quot; it read.

On Tuesday, Pan will speak at a national commemoration for the victims of the crackdown by troops under nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, whose Kuomintang party governed Taiwan at the time.

On behalf of many who lost loved ones, he will call for long-delayed justice.

Pan&#39;s father was a critic of the KMT and was killed by a firing squad alongside other local politicians in southern Chiayi city, where there were anti-government riots.

Those riots were part of island-wide civilian unrest which started on February 28, 1947, after an inspector beat a woman selling untaxed cigarettes in Taipei.&nbsp;

The immediate crackdown on protesters is estimated to have killed up to 28,000 people.&nbsp;

Pan also lost his 15-year-old brother, who was shot after going out to look for their missing father. The family pretended the young boy had committed suicide for fear of repercussions if they told the truth.&nbsp;

Another of his eight siblings held their dying father in his arms after finding the train station where the execution took place, says Pan, his voice cracking.

The body was brought to their family&#39;s clinic, where he had worked as a doctor, and laid out in the waiting room so people could pay their respects.&nbsp;

Pan says another of his brothers and a sister were jailed for months as &quot;communist spies&quot;, several of his siblings have struggled with depression.

For years, he associated lilies with that terrifying time.&nbsp;

&quot;I remember looking at the lilies and smelling their scent as men who came to pay their condolences got angry that my father was killed, while women wept,&quot; he told AFP.

&quot;It was difficult to bear.&quot;&nbsp;

Demand for truth&nbsp;

The massacres of 1947 were a prelude to wider purges of government opponents between 1949 and 1987 under martial law imposed by Chiang and his son, whose KMT fled to Taiwan after it was defeated by Mao Zedong&#39;s Communist Party in a civil war in mainland China.

Official records state around 140,000 people were tried by military courts during the White Terror, with between 3,000 and 8,000 executed. Many believe the actual numbers are higher.

Taiwan&#39;s current government under President Tsai Ing-wen&#39;s Democratic Progressive Party has promised to investigate the purges.&nbsp;

But with the first report not due for three years, some activists are critical of what they consider lack of progress.

Yeh Hung-ling heads a campaign group seeking justice for victims&#39; families and has been helping them track down last letters from loved ones. Her group is calling for a new &quot;political archives law&quot; to allow them greater access to restricted files.&nbsp;

Other activists want to see Chiang&#39;s image wiped out,figures of him across Taiwan are defaced each year on the February 28 anniversary.

&nbsp;Wound healing&nbsp;

Pan says Chiang is to blame for his father&#39;s death. He believes the memorial hall in the former leader&#39;s name in Taipei should be renamed, and the statue of Chiang removed.&nbsp;

Some activists have threatened to topple the statue on Tuesday to commemorate the massacre.

A government-funded report in 2006 found Chiang should take responsibility for the 1947 crackdown.

But campaigners say there has been no official recognition of Chiang as the culprit, or his role in the wider purges.

&quot;We demand the truth be clarified and those who were responsible be made accountable, with their names listed in official records and textbooks,&quot; says Yang Chen-long, head of the Memorial Foundation of 228.&nbsp;

When Pan speaks alongside President Tsai on Tuesday, he will renew his call for Chiang&#39;s image to be rubbed from Taiwan&#39;s landscape as a mark of respect for the dead.&nbsp;

Pan was one of the first ever Taiwanese citizens to reveal his family&#39;s experiences during the purges -- all discussion of the crackdown was taboo until martial law was lifted in 1987 and Taiwan began its journey to democracy.

After talking of his family&#39;s trauma at a church service around 10 years ago, surrounded by lilies, Pan finally started to lose his phobia of the flower.

&quot;Speaking out helped heal the emotional wound,&quot; he said.

The cigarette pack on which his father wrote his last message is now archived at the National 228 Memorial Museum in Taipei, along with the bloodstained shirt he wore on the day he died.&nbsp;

Pan said the purges should be remembered to prevent another tragedy in Taiwan.

&quot;We don&#39;t want revenge,&quot; he told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;We want justice.&quot;

(AFP)

Around 140,000 people were tried by military courts during the White Terror, with between 3,000 and 8,000 executed

For Pan Hsin-hsing the sight and smell of lilies held a particular horror for many years, the pungent flowers decorated the room where his executed father lay before the funeral. He was just six years old when Pan Mu-chih, a doctor and local politician, was arrested, tortured and killed in a 1947 massacre that was the precursor to years of political purges in Taiwan, known as the "White Terror". A last note from his father was scribbled on a cigarette pack given to him by a sympathetic jailer and smuggled out to the family. "Don't be sad, I die for the residents of our city. I die with no regret," it read. On Tuesday, Pan will speak at a national commemoration for the victims of the crackdown by troops under nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, whose Kuomintang party governed Taiwan at the time. On behalf of many who lost loved ones, he will call for long-delayed justice. Pan's father was a critic of the KMT and was killed by a firing squad alongside other local politicians in southern Chiayi city, where there were anti-government riots. Those riots were part of island-wide civilian unrest which started on February 28, 1947, after an inspector beat a woman selling untaxed cigarettes in Taipei. The immediate crackdown on protesters is estimated to have killed up to 28,000 people. Pan also lost his 15-year-old brother, who was shot after going out to look for their missing father. The family pretended the young boy had committed suicide for fear of repercussions if they told the truth. Another of his eight siblings held their dying father in his arms after finding the train station where the execution took place, says Pan, his voice cracking. The body was brought to their family's clinic, where he had worked as a doctor, and laid out in the waiting room so people could pay their respects. Pan says another of his brothers and a sister were jailed for months as "communist spies", several of his siblings have struggled with depression. For years, he associated lilies with that terrifying time. "I remember looking at the lilies and smelling their scent as men who came to pay their condolences got angry that my father was killed, while women wept," he told AFP. "It was difficult to bear." Demand for truth The massacres of 1947 were a prelude to wider purges of government opponents between 1949 and 1987 under martial law imposed by Chiang and his son, whose KMT fled to Taiwan after it was defeated by Mao Zedong's Communist Party in a civil war in mainland China. Official records state around 140,000 people were tried by military courts during the White Terror, with between 3,000 and 8,000 executed. Many believe the actual numbers are higher. Taiwan's current government under President Tsai Ing-wen's Democratic Progressive Party has promised to investigate the purges. But with the first report not due for three years, some activists are critical of what they consider lack of progress. Yeh Hung-ling heads a campaign group seeking justice for victims' families and has been helping them track down last letters from loved ones. Her group is calling for a new "political archives law" to allow them greater access to restricted files. Other activists want to see Chiang's image wiped out,figures of him across Taiwan are defaced each year on the February 28 anniversary. Wound healing Pan says Chiang is to blame for his father's death. He believes the memorial hall in the former leader's name in Taipei should be renamed, and the statue of Chiang removed. Some activists have threatened to topple the statue on Tuesday to commemorate the massacre. A government-funded report in 2006 found Chiang should take responsibility for the 1947 crackdown. But campaigners say there has been no official recognition of Chiang as the culprit, or his role in the wider purges. "We demand the truth be clarified and those who were responsible be made accountable, with their names listed in official records and textbooks," says Yang Chen-long, head of the Memorial Foundation of 228. When Pan speaks alongside President Tsai on Tuesday, he will renew his call for Chiang's image to be rubbed from Taiwan's landscape as a mark of respect for the dead. Pan was one of the first ever Taiwanese citizens to reveal his family's experiences during the purges -- all discussion of the crackdown was taboo until martial law was lifted in 1987 and Taiwan began its journey to democracy. After talking of his family's trauma at a church service around 10 years ago, surrounded by lilies, Pan finally started to lose his phobia of the flower. "Speaking out helped heal the emotional wound," he said. The cigarette pack on which his father wrote his last message is now archived at the National 228 Memorial Museum in Taipei, along with the bloodstained shirt he wore on the day he died. Pan said the purges should be remembered to prevent another tragedy in Taiwan. "We don't want revenge," he told AFP. "We want justice." (AFP)

Victims demand justice 70 years after bloody Taiwan massacre

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