Nationalists sweep to power in Taiwan

Updated 21.17 Sat Jan 12 2008
Keywords: election, Taiwan

Taiwan's main opposition party has won a landslide victory in the country's parliamentary elections.

The Nationalist Party (KMT) won 72 per cent of the votes while the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) got just 24 per cent.

Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's president since 2000, resigned as chairman of the party as the scale of the defeat became apparent

Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's president since 2000, resigned as chairman of the party as the scale of the defeat became apparent.

Many voters blame the DPP for Taiwan's economic woes, which have seen prices rise faster than wages.

The KMT ruled all of China under General Chiang Kai-Shek until the Communist revolution in 1949.

But the party now favours closer economic ties with Beijing after eight years of frosty relations.

KMT presidential nominee Ma Ying-jeou will face the DPP's Frank Hsieh in a presidential election in March.

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