Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party (KMT) thrashed the ruling DPP in legislative elections today. This strengthens its bid to recapture the presidency in March and heralds better relations with China.
With all the votes counted, the KMT had won 81 seats (72%) in the 113 member parliament.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party won just 27 seats (24%) with the rest going to other parties.
Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's president since 2000, resigned as DPP chairman when the magnitude of his party's loss became clear, saying he should take responsibility for its defeat.
The KMT and its allied People First Party had previously held 49% of the seats in the legislature, while the DPP and its allies held about 42%.
Many voters blame the DPP for allowing Taiwan's economy to languish under Mr Chen.
Mr Chen's family members and closest aides have also been embroiled in a series of scandals over the past year, plunging the party into its worst crisis since it was founded in 1986.
Stagnant wages, rising prices and jobs were among the major issues in the legislative election, whose result could augur well for KMT presidential nominee Ma Ying-jeou, due to face the DPP's Frank Hsieh in the March 22 presidential poll.
The KMT, which once ruled all of China, favours closer economic ties and more dialogue with Beijing after eight stormy years of rule by the independence-leaning DPP.
China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since defeated KMT forces fled to the island at the end of the civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring Taiwan back under its rule, by force if necessary.
