TAICHUNG -- Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) is turning to fresh political possibilities and an upcoming internal leadership race, after the opposition party successfully fended off a campaign to unseat two dozen of its lawmakers.

The bitterly fought campaign reflects sharp infighting in Taiwanese ruling circles fuelled by the intensifying US-led drive to war against China, in which Taiwan is the central flashpoint.

Taiwanese voters rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers, all from the opposition Nationalist Party, in a recall election Saturday, dampening hopes for the ruling party to flip the balance of power in the self-ruled island's legislature.