Taiwan's main opposition leader sued President Chen Shui-bian for libel on Friday as election rivalry heated up ahead of a March presidential polls.
Lien Chan, chairman of the Nationalist Party, said the president had exaggerated Lien's personal assets in a bid to attack his integrity and suggest corruption.
Legal experts say the libel suit is only symbolic because the president is exempted from such legal action. But analysts say Lien hopes the move will at least help change public perception.
Lien filed the libel suit against Chen and three officials of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after telling a news conference his assets were a mere T$1.34 billion (US $39 million), instead of T$20 billion as Chen said.