(AP Photo)TAIPEI - Taiwan's China-friendly former President Ma Ying-jeou has been found innocent of libel and leaking confidential information in a case involving suspected influence peddling by a powerful lawmaker. The Taipei District Court found Mr Ma innocent on Tuesday. Mr Ma, a US-educated legal scholar, had denied the charges. Mr Ma was credited with substantially improving Taiwan's relations with rival China during his two terms in office from 2008 to 2016. His Nationalist Party lost both the presidency and its parliamentary majority to the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party in elections in January last year.

Source: Bangkok Post March 28, 2017 09:43 UTC