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Opposition's Ma leads Taiwan vote
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7309113.stm
Hsieh said he was confident of victory
The opposition candidate in Taiwan's presidential election, Ma Ying-jeou, is
surging ahead as votes are counted, according to local television stations.
The Kuomintang's Mr Ma was leading by between 16 and 18 percentage points
with more than 70% of votes counted.
He faces Frank Hsieh of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in the race
to succeed Chen Shui-bian.
Both candidates advocate closer economic ties with China than the staunch
nationalist Mr Chen.
But they differ over the pace and degree of change.
Among voters waiting to cast their ballots on Saturday the economy was one of
the most commonly cited concerns.
Over 17 million people are eligible to vote and turnout is expected to be
high.
Official results are expected soon.
Trade and China
Mr Ma, whose party has traditionally taken a more conciliatory line towards
Beijing, has led consistently in opinion polls, but in recent days some
analysts believed the gap had narrowed.
The economy has been central to the election campaign, and is linked with
policy towards China.
China says that Taiwan is part of its territory, although the two have been
separately governed since 1949. It has threatened to use force if the island
moves towards formal independence.
Many Taiwanese think closer links with Beijing would help revive the island's
faltering economy - but ties have been strained under President Chen because
of his pro-independence stance.
Mr Ma wants to act quickly, proposing the introduction of direct flights to
the mainland and the easing restrictions on investment in China, calling for
the creation of a "common market".
He has also touted the agreement of a formal peace treaty with China.
His rival has been more cautious, promising dialogue with China while
pledging to defend Taiwan's sovereignty.
"In the past the DPP was criticised for not opening up but I will be more
compromising, I will do better," Mr Hsieh said as the campaign drew to a
close.
Voting in the southern city of Kaohsiung on Saturday morning, he opened his
arms wide and said: "I have this much confidence."
Mr Ma cast his vote in a church in Taipei.
"We want to normalise the trade and investment relationship with the mainland
as we have done with other parts of the world," he told reporters afterwards,
according to AFP news agency.
'Second Tibet'
The recent unrest in Tibet also become an election issue, with both men
speaking out against Beijing.
Earlier this week Mr Ma talked of a possible Olympic boycott if the situation
there deteriorated, though he said on Friday he would not "push the issue to
the extreme".
Mr Hsieh, meanwhile, had argued he would be the best protector of Taiwan's
sovereignty, warning that his rival could make Taiwan a "second Tibet".
The BBC's Caroline Gluck in Taiwan says it was unclear how much the events in
Tibet would sway voters, as many had already made up their minds about which
way to vote.
Also on Saturday, voters were being asked to cast a ballot in two competing
referendums on whether Taiwan should join the UN.
The more controversial version asks voters if the island should seek
membership under the name Taiwan, rather than the island's official name, the
Republic of China.
Many countries, including the US, have protested, saying the vote is
unnecessarily provocative.
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