A snapshot of the day as Taiwanese turn out to vote for a new president and a new legislature.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

China’s social media platform Weibo has blocked the Taiwan election hashtag after it became a trending topic this morning, according to AFP.

A search for #TaiwanElection now returns the message: “In accordance with relevant laws, regulations and policies, the content of this topic is not displayed."

But other election-related hashtags, such as Taiwan 2024 election, are still searchable.

Benny Lu
BBC Chinese, Kaohsiung

The high-speed train station in the southern city of Kaohsiung is filled with people who are going home to vote.

In Taiwan, you can only vote where you are registered. So many people will be heading back to their home towns to exercise their right.

Tech worker Ms Hung said she had to book her ticket one month ago.

She says she supports candidates who respect women and the LGBTQ community, but says she is anxious about tonight's outcome.

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
in Taipei

I was at the Wanxing Elementary School polling station in Taipei. Voting was brisk and lots of three-generation families turned up. It’s a beautiful day so it’s going to have an impact on the turnout. I met up with a lesbian couple - Mota Lin and City Chen - I interviewed before, and their three-year-old daughter cast their ballot for them. They said this election was "tremendously important" for them.

They were able to marry as same-sex marriage was legalised under President Tsai Ing-wen in 2019. They can now also adopt. The couple just returned from a trip to Hong Kong, and their friends there told them they couldn’t speak up anymore because freedoms in Hong Kong had disappeared.

They said their friends told them: “You must protect your democracy and you must go home to vote."

They said to them that Taiwan's democracy was so important to "all of us, not just Taiwanese people but people in Hong Kong” who they had lost their freedom.

Laura Bicker
China correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

China has warned Taiwan it stands at a crossroads ahead of this election.

President Xi Jinping has previously described the presidential poll on the self-governing island as a choice between “war and peace”.

And in the hours before voting began, various departments in Beijing were keen to emphasise this message to those across the strait.

The Defence Ministry vowed to take "all necessary measures to crush any forms of secessionist designs for Taiwan independence".

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has denounced the ruling Democratic Progressive party as dangerous separatists, as it refuses to describe Taiwan as part of China.

This election, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is “purely an internal Chinese matter” and Beijing refuses to acknowledge the vote is legitimate.

How China responds to this vote is being watched closely around the world. In the past year Beijing has significantly stepped up its military pressure on Taiwan with the use of jets and warships.

However, it has repeatedly emphasised that it would prefer peaceful “unification” over a war. This was a message Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao took to the United States this week - he said he hoped there could be “communication between the two sides".

Image source, EPA

William Lai Ching-te, the current vice-president, is the candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The idea of the 64-year-old doctor-turned politician leading Taiwan vexes Beijing. In his younger days, he was known to be an outspoken advocate of Taiwnese indpendence, a red line for China.

Hou Yi-ih, a former police chief and current mayor of New Taipei City, is running for the main oppositon Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's grand old party which has run the island for much of the last 75 years.

Hou and the KMT have cast this election as a choice between war and peace, promising voters better ties with Beijing.

Ko Wen-je, a surgeon-turned-politician is a former Taipei mayor. He founded the Taiwan People’s Party in 2019 as an alternative to the DPP and KMT.

He has appealed to younger voters with promises of affordable housing and higher wages. His wider campaign has focused on being a third, middle-of-the-road option.

It’s an island thousands of miles from the US - yet the results of Taiwan’s election will have major implications in Washington.

Taiwan sits in the so-called "first island chain" which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington's foreign policy in the region.

Beijing calls the arc of alliances an attempt to encirle it.

China's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea has only made Taiwan crucial to US calculations.

Taiwan's economy is another factor. Much of the world's electronics - from phones to electric cars - are powered by memory chips made in the island.

And the fear is Chinese control over Taiwan also means they can control an industry that drives the global economy.

Read more here.

Tessa Wong
in Taipei

We had reported earlier that the main opposition Kuomintang's presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih had turned up to vote.

After voting, he spoke to the media. He said he has been very lucky that voters are supporting him, and he showed off small marks on his hands.

They were caused by voters gripping his hands too tightly at rallies. He called them his “lucky injuries”.

Asked how he prepared for today, he said he spent a quiet night at home with his three daughters, and they stayed up late chatting.

Tessa Wong
in Taipei

Hou Yu-ih, the presidential candidate of the Kuomintang (KMT), smiled and waved to the many curious voters at a polling station in New Taipei City, a KMT stronghold. He was greeted by local KMT district leaders and gave them warm handshakes.

Grace Tsoi
Live reporter

William Lai Ching-te, current vice president and the presidential candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), travelled all the way down south to vote in Tainan.

He urged voters to cast their ballot to “demonstrate the vitality of Taiwan’s democracy”.

When reporters asked him if he had a good night's rest, he said he had slept "very well".

Image source, Reuters

Grace Tsoi
Live reporter

Former President Ma Ying-jeou, a heavyweight of the opposition Kuomintang or KMT, was spotted at polling station station in Taipei. He didn't address the media before leaving.

Last year, Ma went on an unprecedented five-city tour of China, ostensibly to pay homage to his ancestors, after an invitation from Beijing.

Analysts at the time said it was an attempt by Beijing "to soften the tone towards Taiwan", ahead of the presidential election.

Taiwan's defence ministry has said it has detected two Chinese balloons crossing the Taiwan Strait in the last 24 hours.

They said one of which flew over Taiwan island. This is the latest in a spate of balloon sightings that the ministry has reported.

Tessa Wong
in Taipei

It’s a chilly Saturday morning at Yonghe district in New Taipei City and voters are steadily streaming into a primary school, clutching their voting slips.

President Tsai Ing-wen made an appearance here earlier, along with her party DPP's vice-presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-Khim.

For one young voter, it’s a moment full of possibilities. “With this election the era of DPP and [opposition party] KMT [dominating politics] has ended thanks to a new party. It’s time for the younger generation to arrive and make themselves heard,” said Mr Huang, a 28-year-old soldier.

Observers says the Taiwan People's Party has made inroads in capturing some support, particularly among youth.

But others see things differently. “I was born in Taiwan. We are walking the path of democracy and progress, we cannot turn back,” said Mrs Liu, who works in the insurance industry.

“I’m not scared of China’s threats, we must defend ourselves. In any case it doesn’t matter who wins, you won’t solve the problem of tensions, you’re just passing it on to the next generation,” she added.

Tessa Wong
in Taipei

Outoing President Tsai Ing-wen arrived to vote to cheers and shouts: “Hello president!”

Excited people swarmed around her with mobile phones, filming her arrival.

After she cast her ballot, she greeted them and asked: “Have you voted yet?”

Voters across Taiwan have started queueing up to cast two votes - one for the president and one for their pick for the 113-member legislature or Yuan

Official data says more than 19.5 million voters are eligible to vote today.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
BBC News, Taiwan

This election is being fought on how Taiwan should deal with the threat from China. The ruling democratic progressive party or DPP is vowing to strengthen the island's defences and continue building ties with other democracies, such as key allies US and Japan.

The opposition Kuomintang or KMT says if it wins it will push for dialogue with Beijing.

Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, issued a fresh warning to the island on Friday afternoon, a day before voting.

China's defence ministry published a statement saying: "The People’s Liberation Army is on high vigilance at all times and will take all necessary measures to resolutely crush any form of secessionist designs for 'Taiwan independence'."

Meanwhile, Taiwan's defence ministry said it was "combat ready at all times" on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Also on Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning reiterated Beijing's stance that "Taiwan is part of China and there is only one China in the world".

Image source, Reuters

Lok Lee
BBC Chinese, Taipei

It’s just past 0800 local time in Taiwan and voting has started.

Opposition presidential candidate Ko Wen-je has arrived at a polling station in southern Taipei to vote.

He told the media it was a bright morning and said voters would turn up to cast their ballots.

Image source, BBC Chinese

It’s not just about Taiwan’s political future, but also the island's relationship with China.

The opposition Kuomingtang or KMT has described today’s vote as a “choice between peace and war”.

At the heart of it, it’s a battle for regional influence between Beijing, which claims the island, and Washington, Tapei’s most powerful ally.

Polls, which ended on 2 January, suggested it was a tight race. On the one hand is the ruling DPP’s William Lai - a staunch defender of the island’s self-governing status, who Beijing has described as a“troublemaker”.

On his tail is Hou Yu-ih from the KMT, which has traditionally favoured close ties with China - though the party denies being "pro-Beijing".

Hello and welcome to the BBC’s coverage of Taiwan’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

It’s nearly 0800 local time in Taipei - close to midnight in London. The polls are set to open shortly across the island.

Tens of millions of Taiwanese will vote today in a pivotal election that will be closely watched by the world.

Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest on the election - which will have consequences not only for the island’s people, but for global security.