Millions of Taiwanese cast votes in local elections

Taipei - Taiwan's local elections on Saturday are being seen as a test of power for President Ma Ying-jeou who is trying to seek peace with China. Some 7 million eligible voters will cast votes at 6,384 polling stations to select city mayors and county magistrates, county and city councilors and township chiefs.

The Central Election Commission expects the turnout to be 60-65 per cent.

A total of 1,465 candidates are in the race. Most of them are nominated by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the pro- independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with a few representing smaller parties or running as independent candidates.

Polls opened at 8 am (0000 GMT) and will close at 5 pm (0900 GMT). Final results are expected at 10 pm (1400 GMT).

Analysts said the results will redefine the KMT and DPP's power base, and set the tone for next year's elections for four cities and counties directly controlled by the central government. These results will in turn affect the outcome of the 2012 presidential polls.

Ma, who came to power on May 20, 2008, hopes that voters will show their support for his China-friendly policies by voting for KMT candidates.

But the DPP accuses Ma of kowtowing to China and urged Taiwanese to back DPP candidates and topple Ma's government.