Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan's main opposition party will become the island's first female president after the ruling Kuomintang conceded defeat in polls Saturday, as voters turned their backs on closer China ties.
The vote count is continuing but live television figures from polling stations show Tsai has secured a historic landslide victory, with around 60 percent against 30 percent for Chu.
Support for Tsai has surged as voters have become increasingly uneasy about a recent rapprochement with China under KMT president Ma Ying-jeou, who must step down after a maximum two terms.