Taiwan's opposition parties, which favor closer ties with China, have claimed victory in the parliament elections, beating President Chen Shui-bian's pro-independence party after a tight race.
"According to our calculations, the pan blue has won 115 seats and we have a majority," said Chang Jung-kung, spokesman for the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist) party, referring to the opposition color.
Parliament has 225 seats in total, of which 176 are directly elected and 49 are awarded to parties based on the percentage of the popular vote they win.