Taiwanese go to polls to pick new president

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Taiwanese voters flocking to polls Saturday were deciding whether to stick with a party that has struggled to improve ties with rival China, or switch to one that promises peace and greater profits from the island's giant neighbor. More than 17 million people were eligible to cast ballots in the island's fourth direct presidential election. A turnout of more than 75 percent was expected. Front-runner Ma Ying-jeou of the opposition Nationalists and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's Frank Hsieh both say they want to turn the corner on the confrontational China policies of the outgoing government. But they remain divided on how best to deal with Beijing, which is both a huge opportunity for the island's powerful business community and a looming threat to its evolving democracy.