KMT triumphs in Taiwan’s parliamentary elections

The pro-China Kuomintang (KMT) party secured a landslide victory in Taiwan’s legislative elections on Saturday and immediately targeted victory in March’s presidential poll, AFP reported. Having captured 81 of the 113 parliamentary seats up for grabs, the KMT’s presidential candidate, Ma Ying-jeou, is now well positioned to succeed Chen Shui-bian of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chen stepped down as head of the DPP after the party secured just 27 seats in the election. Chen, despite claims that his hard-line stance may have turned off voters, reiterated his belief that China "shows no signs that it will ease its military threats, diplomatic suppression and two-handed economic strategy on Taiwan." The KMT, however, sees closer ties with the mainland as key to boosting the island’s stuttering economy.