Voting is under way in Taiwan for parliamentary and local elections which are expected to pose the toughest challenge yet to the fifty-year rule of the Nationalist party.

The party which has a parliamentary majority of just a few seats is being challenged by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party or DPP.

A BBC correspondent in Taipei says gains by the main opposition DPP, could affect relations with mainland China.

The DPP advocates independence for Taiwan - a concept strongly opposed by Beijing which regards the island as a renegade province.