Recount demand as Taiwan President scrapes victory

Opposition activists today refused to disband protests until authorities agree to re-count Taiwan’s weekend presidential election, won by the incumbent one day after he was wounded in a mysterious shooting that critics say influenced the vote.

Governments in the region said they hoped that the political turmoil over President Chen Shui-bian’s narrow re-election victory on Saturday would not lead to greater tension between the island and archrival China.