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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Taiwan nationalists 'in big win ' | Taiwan nationalists 'in big win ' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party in Taiwan appears set to win an overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections, early reports suggest. | The nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party in Taiwan appears set to win an overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections, early reports suggest. |
| Taiwanese media say it may even get a two-thirds majority in the contest seen as a barometer for the presidential election on 22 March. | Taiwanese media say it may even get a two-thirds majority in the contest seen as a barometer for the presidential election on 22 March. |
| KMT has at present a slim majority over President Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). | KMT has at present a slim majority over President Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). |
| Mr Chen admitted defeat and said he would resign as chairman of the party. | |
| The KMT wants closer ties with China, which considers Taiwan a renegade province. | |
| Under a new electoral system, voters elected half as many MPs as before. | Under a new electoral system, voters elected half as many MPs as before. |
| The change was adopted in 2005 to reduce corruption and improve efficiency but observers say the new system may marginalise smaller parties in favour of the DPP and the KMT. | The change was adopted in 2005 to reduce corruption and improve efficiency but observers say the new system may marginalise smaller parties in favour of the DPP and the KMT. |
| Two referendums were held alongside the legislative election. | Two referendums were held alongside the legislative election. |
| KMT presidential hopeful Ma Ying-jeou has called for change | KMT presidential hopeful Ma Ying-jeou has called for change |
| The first asked voters to support legislation to force the KMT to return state assets the DPP says were illegally amassed during the 1950s, while the other, tabled by the KMT, called for action against corrupt officials. | The first asked voters to support legislation to force the KMT to return state assets the DPP says were illegally amassed during the 1950s, while the other, tabled by the KMT, called for action against corrupt officials. |
| The two main parties are fighting for control of the newly scaled-down parliament, in which the number of seats has been cut from 225 to 113 in line with reforms. | The two main parties are fighting for control of the newly scaled-down parliament, in which the number of seats has been cut from 225 to 113 in line with reforms. |
| A new voting system has also been introduced whereby voters cast ballots for both a party and a particular candidate in their constituency. | A new voting system has also been introduced whereby voters cast ballots for both a party and a particular candidate in their constituency. |
| Seventy-three seats were contested by a total of 296 individual candidates representing 12 parties, while 34 seats are to be allocated on a party list system. A further six seats are reserved for ethnic minorities. | Seventy-three seats were contested by a total of 296 individual candidates representing 12 parties, while 34 seats are to be allocated on a party list system. A further six seats are reserved for ethnic minorities. |
| Beijing quiet | Beijing quiet |
| BBC China analyst Shirong Chen says the two main parties' candidates for the presidential poll have concentrated on local issues and shied away from discussing China in the run-up to the vote, a tactic the Chinese government has also adopted. | BBC China analyst Shirong Chen says the two main parties' candidates for the presidential poll have concentrated on local issues and shied away from discussing China in the run-up to the vote, a tactic the Chinese government has also adopted. |
| Beijing has learned from its past misadventures during Taiwanese polls that verbal warnings and missile tests would backfire in favour of candidates from the pro-independence DPP, our correspondent says. | Beijing has learned from its past misadventures during Taiwanese polls that verbal warnings and missile tests would backfire in favour of candidates from the pro-independence DPP, our correspondent says. |
| China has been focusing on getting countries like the US and France to oppose Taiwan's referendum on joining the UN, which will be held alongside the presidential election in March. | China has been focusing on getting countries like the US and France to oppose Taiwan's referendum on joining the UN, which will be held alongside the presidential election in March. |
| China has also been persuading Taiwan's diplomatic allies to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing, prompting the Taiwanese foreign minister to make a futile trip to Malawi to consolidate bilateral ties. | China has also been persuading Taiwan's diplomatic allies to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing, prompting the Taiwanese foreign minister to make a futile trip to Malawi to consolidate bilateral ties. |
| Our correspondent says Beijing will be anxious to see who wins Saturday's election, seen by many as a barometer of the public mood ahead of March's vote, when a new president will be chosen to rule the island for the next four years. | Our correspondent says Beijing will be anxious to see who wins Saturday's election, seen by many as a barometer of the public mood ahead of March's vote, when a new president will be chosen to rule the island for the next four years. |