By Ralph Jennings
(Reuters) - Taiwan's China-friendly ruling party held onto most of the island's mayoral posts up for grabs in tense elections Saturday seen as a test of the party's popularity ahead of the 2012 presidential race.
Wins in three of five mayoral seats gave the Nationalist Party, or KMT, a clear shot at retaining the presidency, which will calm Beijing as it has worked closely with the party on landmark trade deals after decades of political hostilities.
China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan for six decades but since 2008 has discussed economic issues with President Ma Ying-jeou's government. Beijing hopes those talks will lead eventually to political unification.
"Of course China doesn't want to see any change in the status quo, particularly in the three cities that the KMT has held for a long time," said Shane Lee, political scientist at Chang Jung University in Taiwan.
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