TAIPEI - The wife of Taiwan's embattled leader Chen Shui-bian has gone 
on trial accused of corruption and forgery in a landmark case that could end his 
leadership. 
 
 
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    Taiwan's First Lady Wu Shu-chen has 
 gone on trial accused of corruption and forgery in a landmark case that 
 could end her husband's leadership. Chen Shui-bian has promised to 
 resign if his wife is found guilty by the court in Taipei of illegally 
 claiming 14.8 million Taiwan dollars (US$450,000 in personal expenses from 
 government funds.[AFP]
  
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Chen has promised to resign if his wife Wu Shu-chen is found guilty by the 
court in Taipei of illegally claiming 14.8 million Taiwan dollars (US$450,000) 
in personal expenses from government funds. 
Prosecutors indicted wheelchair-bound Wu, 54, and three aides last month, but 
Chen escaped immediate prosecution because of "presidential immunity." 
The corruption charge carries a minimum seven-year prison term and forgery at 
least one year. 
Chen has denied any wrongdoing and said the embezzlement 
allegations were unacceptable. 
Wu, the first wife of a Taiwanese leader ever to be prosecuted and in poor 
health, showed up at the tightly-guarded courthouse in front of a large crowd of 
reporters and cameramen. 
Her indictment sent political shockwaves throughout the island and 
prompted the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to suspend her membership 
for 18 months. 
Chen's DPP filed a petition Thursday with the "Council of Grand Justice" in a 
last-ditch bid to stop the trial going ahead, but it usually takes months for 
the body to make a decision.