Former Taiwan regional leader Lee Teng-hui File Photo: CNSPhoto

Former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui was rushed to a hospital after he began choking and coughing from drinking milk, local media reported over the weekend. Lee has remained under medical observation due to lung infection concerns.  

A discharge date remains unknown for the 97-year-old political figure, media also reported. In 2018, Lee was rushed to a hospital after he fell and has since then made few public appearances.  

Lee received criticism from mainland netizens for creating the Taiwan Straits crisis in the 1990s. Rumors circulated on Chinese social media over the weekend that Lee had died from symptoms brought about by pneumonia as mainland continues combating the novel coronavirus.  

Lee suffered internal bleeding in his nasal cavity from his fall two years ago. It was then that doctors also discovered a slight cerebral hemorrhage, forcing Lee to remain under hospital care for over two months, according to media reports. 

Lee has been ordered to remain at the hospital until doctors can make a further  prognosis on his lungs, local reports said on Monday. 

Global Times