Taipei - Jailed former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian resumed eating Thursday, ending a hunger strike on the 16th day.

Lee Ta-chu, deputy warden of the Taipei Penitentiary, said that Chen at porridge at noon, and then another bowl of porridge mixed with egg white at dinner.

Chen began a hunger strike to protest what he claimed as "political persecution" by his successor Ma Ying-jeou, a China- friendly president of the Nationalist Party, since he was detained on November 12 on corruption allegations.

The pro-independence Chen has written two poems in his cell lamenting his detention and saying he would die for the cause of Taiwan independence.

Chen, 57, who ended his second four-year presidential term in May, is accused of embezzling millions of US dollars under the pretext of using the money as a "secret diplomatic fund" to launch or strengthen ties with foreign countries.

He is also accused of laundering 21 million US dollars abroad and accepting millions of dollars in bribes from Taiwan businessmen.

Prosecutors said they intend to indict him soon on at least five charges that carry a maximum jail term of 30 years. (dpa)