Taiwanese voters have rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers from the opposition Nationalist Party in a recall election, a setback for President Lai Ching-te.

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.

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.