Ma Ying-jeou's Nationalist party says he has beaten Tsai Ing-wen after count of 80% of votes shows six-point lead
Taiwan's ruling party has claimed victory in the island's presidential election.
The honorary chairman of President Ma Ying-jeou's ruling Nationalist party said on Saturday that the victory was the result of a unified effort and "didn't come easily".
With about 80% of the vote counted, Ma was leading challenger Tsai Ing-wen of the opposition Democratic Progressive party by about six percentage points.
Voters appeared drawn to Ma's vision of better relations with China over Tsai's attempts to galvanise resentment about growing income inequality.
A third candidate, James Soong, a former heavyweight in Ma's Nationalist party, had just 2.8% of the vote.