TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The country's presidential and legislative elections take place Saturday (Jan. 11) and the foreign ministry said Wednesday (Jan. 8) over 210 foreign journalists from around 100 international media outlets will be covering election news in Taiwan.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said the ministry will also welcome more than 100 academic experts. They will arrive in 10 groups this week from the U.S., Canada, and European countries and MOFA will arrange meetings with political parties or visits to campaign headquarters.

Over 150 foreign journalists are expected to arrive in Taipei to report on the drama-filled campaigns and election results. MOFA welcomes pre-election visits from journalists around the world so they can gain insights into the country's vibrant and competitive democratic system.

Also, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) is welcoming around 10 scholars from the U.S., Lithuania, and other countries for pre-election visits. The foundation's CEO said the team will be traveling to party campaign headquarters, research centers, campaign rallies, and a polling station.

MOFA said the number of visiting international journalists would be 150. Including Taiwan-based foreign journalists, the number would exceed 210 from around 100 international media outlets — about the same as the previous presidential and legislative elections in 2016.