Taiwan Parties Hold Giant Before Election

Taiwan´s new president faces a huge task in trying to boost the economy, combat inflation and fight corruption.

Hundreds of thousands rallied around Taiwan on Sunday as the two dominant parties made last-ditch efforts to win votes ahead of a presidential election expected to affect the island's strained relations with China.

Supporters from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which distrusts China, and the more China-receptive KMT chanted, waved flags, sported logos on their faces and walked dogs decked in party colours during the biggest campaign effort before polls on Saturday.

China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since 1949, when Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists (KMT) fled to the island. Beijing has vowed to bring Taiwan under its rule, by force if necessary.

KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou leads opponent Frank Hsieh in opinion surveys as Ma suggests establishing a host of trade ties with China to shore up the domestic economy, but Hsieh says his opponent is getting to cosy with Beijing.

"Ma wants to sell us off to China and then flee to the United States," charged Lee Mei-tzu, 50, a professional designer who shouted slogans at Hsieh's march through central Taipei.

Supporters of Ma's Taipei rally shot back.

"In eight years, the DPP has shown no ability to govern, so we need to change over to the other party," said Ma supporter Olivia Chin, also 50, who returned from Hong Kong to vote.

Police said they deployed more than 30,000 police officers around the island at the weekend rallies to maintain security.

Taiwan's new president faces a huge task in trying to boost the economy, combat inflation and fight corruption.

In January, the KMT won a more than two-thirds majority in legislature elections.