Taiwan debates election recount

The opposition is calling for a big rally on Saturday

Taiwan's parliament is meeting to try to resolve the political stand-off gripping the island since its disputed presidential election.

It is considering changing the law to allow a recount, though it is not clear if the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) will back the move.

KMT leaders are calling for a big rally on Saturday to keep pressure on President Chen Shui-bian.

China has made its first comments on the crisis, and on KMT "suspicions".

China's official Xinhua news agency said "tens of thousands" of Taiwanese residents had taken to the streets to protest at the "alleged unfair election".

POLL RESULTS Chen Shui-bian: 6,471,970 (50.11%) Lien Chan: 6,442,452 (49.89%) 337,297 invalid ballots Turnout: 80.28% Source: Central Election Commission Q&A: Election 'conspiracy' Taiwan split after vote

China is always quick to point out the risks of elections leading to social disorder, especially in Taiwan, which it regards as its territory.

President Chen was re-elected by a margin of only 0.2% of the vote, hours after being shot, and his opponent Lien Chan has demanded that ballots be recounted and the poll be declared unfair.

But President Chen says the assassination attempt was genuine and rejected allegations of vote-rigging.

Mr Chen's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the KMT-led opposition have been trying to agree on how to stage a recount, although it is not clear if the two sides are serious or seeking to make political capital from the dispute.

On Thursday, they agreed that the question of a recount would at least be discussed at Friday's full parliamentary meeting.

However, the two sides have different proposals for how the law should be changed to allow the recount to take place, and it is by no means certain an agreement will be reached.