News / China

Taiwanese vote in presidential, parliamentary elections

Saturday, 16 January 2016 2:25 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 16 January 2016 3:28 AM ]

The Taiwanese line up to vote outside a polling station in New Taipei City, January 16, 2016. (AFP)

People in Taiwan are going to the polls in a presidential election in which the East Asian island’s Nationalist Party seems likely to lose power to the pro-independence opposition.

Polling stations for the presidential and parliamentary votes opened on Saturday.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)'s Tsai Ing-wen is expected to become the island’s first female president, returning the main opposition party to power after eight years under Nationalist President Ma Ying-jeou, who is constitutionally barred from running for president.

The first direct presidential vote in Taiwan was held in 1996 and the DPP gained power in 2000 under President Chen Shui-bian.

*Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (L) attends an election rally in New Taipei City, January 15, 2016. (AFP)*

A victory for Tsai would bring new uncertainty in the complex relationship between Taiwan and mainland China, which regards the island of 23 million as part of its territory.

“This is not about defeating the other party. This is about working to overcome the obstacles in Taiwan’s path,” Tsai told supporters gathered at a final rally in the capital Taipei on Friday night.

China and Taiwan are physically separated by the Taiwan Strait in the West Pacific Ocean. They split politically in 1949 following a civil war; however, bilateral relations have improved enormously ever since Ma came to power in 2008.

The results of the competition for a majority in the 133-seat parliament remain unclear, with independents and smaller parties posing a threat to both the Nationalists and the DPP.

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