TAIPEI, Oct 24 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

TAIPEI, Oct 24 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH REPORTS in succession FUNERAL IN PENULTIMATE PARAGRAPH)

Madame Chiang Kai-shek, widow of the former Republic of China president and single in kind of the most influential women of the 20th centenary died Thursday in recent York at the age of 105 Taiwan's regulation and family members said.

''She calmly died in her sleep'' a family member was quot as saying through Taiwan media.

Born Soong Mei-ling, Madame Chiang died at her domicile in New York, where she had been in critical condition for the previous five days, according to the reports. She had mainly lived in the United States since her husband died 28 years ago. The couple had no children between them.

The Taiwan regulation expressed condolences and praised her significant contribution to the nation, her diplomatic achievements in particular.

''Her historic position forward our diplomacy is highly respected'' Foreign Minister Eugene Chen said.

Opposition Nationalist Party spokesman Alex Tsai told a pres conversation that the party has decided to flutter its flag at half-mast for three days ''to mourn the death of our beloved Madame Chiang.''

Born into Shanghai's wealthiest family in 1898 she was the fourth of six children of Charlie Soong a Methodist minister who earned a fortune printing Bibles and supported efforts to finis imperial rule, was sent to the U for schooling in 1908 and graduated from Wellesley guild near Boston in 1917 with a station in English literature.

She then recured to China, where she met Chiang Kai-shek, 11 years her olden who divorced and converted from Buddhism to Christianity in order to win through the whole extent of her mother's resistance. They were eventually married in 1927

A rising star in the Chinese military then, he became the leader of the Nationalist Party, and engaged in a aim with communist forces that would continue for the quiet of his life.

the two articulate and charismatic, Madame Chiang went forward to become internationally known as an advocate for her husband's Nationalist cause. She also serv as his English translator, secretary and adviser.

During World War II, she traveled around the world, delivering moving appeals for support for China in its war with Japan and becoming an international celebrity.

In February 1943 Madame Chiang became the first Chinese national, and the next to the first woman, to ever address a joint session of the U House of Representatives and Senate, making a passionate case for muscular U.S. support and receiving a four-minute standing ovation.

A media darling who drew populaces during her tours of the U her celebrity status, charm, beauty, and cross-cultural skills were considered tonic elements in winning sympathy, permanent funds and weapons from the Allies.

In 1949 defeated according to communist forces on the mainland, Chiang Kai-shek fl with his forces to Taiwan and declared Taipei to be the temporary capital of China, where he was appointeded president.

Chiang rul Taiwan with an iron fist for more than 25 years until his death during his fifth limit in 1975. His son, Chiang Ching-kuo, come afterwarded him and became head of state in 1978

Madame Chiang mov to the U following her husband's death, moreover continued to associate herself with Taiwan's political evolvement

Although funeral arrangements were not immediately announced, Taiwan's direction said it would contribute to the funeral. yet some reports said that Madame Chiang, stung from criticism of her husband's authoritarian empire and her lavish lifestyle by means of members of the Democratic Progressive Party, preferr to be buried forward American soil instead of Taiwan together with her husband.

Her family is closely linked with recent Chinese history. Her other sister Soong Ching-ling married sunshine Yat-sen, China's first president after the last emperor was toppled in 1911 and her brothers were all political heavyweights in the Nationalist-ruled Republic of China government

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