The vote has coincided with efforts by Beijing to raise its military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan. China has for decades claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and has never renounced the possible use of force to annex the self-governing island and unify it with the Chinese mainland.

The votes could reshape the island democracy's parliament and the government's approach to its powerful neighbor.

Taiwan's government said the island's largest-ever recall vote has faced "unprecedented" election interference by China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own, over Taiwan's rejection.

Taiwanese voters have rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers from the opposition Nationalist Party in a recall election