Taiwan leadership election kicks off

With election frenzy culminating Friday night, the three candidates for Taiwan's leadership election staged campaign finale on the voting eve to rally support and win votes.

Incumbent Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, who is seeking a second term, crisscrossed Taoyuan, Miaoli, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taipei in the day, and attended a mass rally in the evening held at the Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Taiwan leader's office building, with his wife Chow Mei-ching.

Lien Chan and Wu Poh-hsiung, two KMT honorary chairmen, also stood at the platform, calling on voters to choose Ma on Saturday's polling.

Ma, 61, who is also chairman of the ruling Kuomintang, called for solidarity and for voters to concentrate their support in his favor, amid swirling campaign banners and cheering from hectic crowds.

Tsai Ing-wen, who represents the major opposition Democratic Progressive Party in the leadership election, drove through main streets of Keelung, New Taipei City and Taipei to rally support in the day and attended two mass rallies in the evening in Taoyuan County and Banciao district of New Taipei City.

Former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui, who turns 89 on Jan 15, stood on the platform in the Banciao stadium and called on voters to vote for the female leader. The 55-year-old DPP chairwoman then made a speech before 150,000 to 200,000 supporters, saying choosing her will change Taiwan for the better.

People First Party chairman and election candidate James Soong, 69, hit the street in Taichung and attended a mass rally there with his running mate Lin Ruey-shiung. Soong called on voters to make "rational judgement and choice" so as to ensure Taiwan's stability.

Taiwan's leadership and "legislative" election will begin at 8 am Saturday and end at 4 pm, with the final result to be announced in the evening. There are more than 18 million eligible voters.