EPITOME OF TAIWAN: Shinzo Abe and the Dalai Lama were both represented at the memorial, with the latter saying he admired Lee for ‘protecting Taiwan’s democracy’

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 20, 2020
By: Lee Hsin-fang and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), senior government officials and dignitaries from the US and Japan yesterday paid tribute to the man who led Taiwan’s transition to democracy, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).

Lee, an agricultural economist and politician who devoted his career to building democracy in Taiwan through direct elections and helping create a Taiwanese identity distinct from that of China, passed away on July 30 aged 97.

The main service, held yesterday morning at the chapel of Aletheia University in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), was attended by nearly 800 people, including government officials, Lee’s relatives and friends, members of the Presbyterian Church and representatives of foreign governments, including former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori and a delegation led by US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Keith Krach.

They wore masks and sat spaced out in pews.    [FULL  STORY]