More than 17 million people in Taiwan are voting to elect a successor to their pro-independence president Chen Shuibian. Over the past 8 years, Mr Chen has frequently angered Beijing, which has always regarded Taiwan as part of China. The candidates hoping to succeed him are Frank Hsieh of Mr Chen's DPP and the front-runner Ma Yingjiu, who represents the Opposition KMT. As Caroline Gluck reports, both men favour better economic ties with China.

They both want to open tourism and transport linked with the mainland that the KMT candidate Ma Yingjiu wants to move quickily to establish direct flights and ease restrictions on doing business with China, saying Taiwan need to take advantage of the huge mainland market. His DPP rival Frank Hsieh is more cautious, saying that while he favours a great economic opening-up, he wants to ensure that Taiwan's interest is not harmed in the process.