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Son of Taiwan ex-vice president shot at rally
TAIPEI | Fri Nov 26, 2010 10:56am EST
TAIPEI (Reuters) - The son of former Taiwanese Vice-President Lien Chan was shot and wounded at a rally on Friday on the eve of local elections, but the shooting appeared not to be politically motivated. Sean Lien, 40, a member of the ruling Nationalist party's central committee, was taken to hospital to undergo emergency surgery but his life is not in danger, hospital authorities told local television.
Reports said Lien was speaking at a rally for a ruling party candidate outside Taipei city when a man came up onto the stage and fired at close range, hitting Lien in the side of the face. The gunman was arrested shortly afterwards. Media reports said the man was a member of a gang and seemed to have no political motive. The wealthy Lien family has been prominent in Taiwan politics for decades.
Lien Chan became the island's first premier from a Taiwan family in 1993, after serving as communications minister, vice premier, foreign minister and provincial governor. In the 2004 presidential election campaign, the then opposition party candidate Chen Shui-bian was wounded by a gunshot while campaigning. He went on to win the election, but the Nationalist party said the attack was faked to win votes.
(Reporting by Jonathan Standing; Editing by Maria Golovnina)
