Taiwan set to elect first female leader

Hong Kong (CNN)Voters in the only Chinese democracy are expected to elect Taiwan's first female leader when they go to the polls Saturday for presidential and parliamentary elections. Polls suggest a landslide win for Tsai Ing-wen, the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), after eight years under the pro-China Kuomintang, or Nationalist, party. The DPP has traditionally leaned in favor of independence -- a highly charged issue with China viewing Taiwan as a breakaway province that could be taken back by force if necessary. But that's not the only factor at stake in what is a landmark election for the young democracy, where people take their right to vote extremely seriously. Stella Han, who is among the roughly one million Taiwanese living in China, says she will fly back from her current home in Shanghai for election day. She plans to vote for the DPP. "I hope that Taiwan won't rely on China too much. It needs to find a way out," she says. Who are the key players? Tsai, 59, is viewed as a pragmatic leader who is likely to largely maintain the closer ties with China forged under current President Ma Ying-jeou. Her main opponent is Eric Chu of the ruling KMT and she's also up against James Soong from the People First Party. But the real drama may come in the parliamentary vote. A record 556 candidates are in the race for 113 seats. The DPP is tipped to do well as are smaller opposition parties. The ruling KMT is in danger of losing control of the Legislature for the first time. The island elected its first president in 1996 after more than four decades of martial law and one-party rule. Taiwan's free-wheeling democracy is in sharp contrast to China's one-party state and a cast of colorful candidates are contesting seats: an ex convict, an alleged spy and the front man of Asia's biggest death metal band.