Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan’s president, started fighting for his political survival on Sunday, saying that he never pocketed state funds and that he would step down if a court sentenced his wife for corruption.

Mr Chen’s remarks were part of an hour-long televised address aimed at refuting prosecutors’ accusations that he and his wife siphoned off T$14.8m ($449,500) in state funds. Prosecutors on Friday indicted Wu Shu-chen, the president’s wife, on charges of corruption. They also named Mr Chen as a corruption suspect but said he could only be prosecuted after he had left office.