Incumbent president Ma Ying Jeou of the ruling Kuomintang Party seeking another four-year term . The KMT has been in power since China took control after World War Two and is seen as a bulwark against China's growing assertiveness on Taiwan. Beijing says it prefers to do so peacefully but refuses to rule out the use of force to keep Taiwan from declaring itself a separate state . China keeps hundreds of missiles aimed at Taiwan , an ominous threat to the island to stay in the fold . Beijing wary of Tsai Ing-wen , suspecting her of pushing a pro-independence agenda .
Incumbent president Ma Ying Jeou of the ruling Kuomintang Party seeking another four-year term . The KMT has been in power since China took control after World War Two and is seen as a bulwark against China's growing assertiveness on Taiwan. China keeps hundreds of missiles aimed at Taiwan , an ominous threat to the island to stay in the fold . Beijing wary of Tsai Ing-wen , suspecting her of pushing a pro-independence agenda .