A recent study published by Global Views Monthly , a leading Taiwanese magazine, shows that 53 per cent of the people believe a Trump re-election would be more beneficial to Taiwan than a Joe Biden victory, which only 16.4 per cent of the island’s population welcomed. This is hardly surprising. Trump is considered by many pundits as “the most pro-Taiwan president in the US history” since diplomatic relations were severed in 1979. Joe Biden, meanwhile, is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “old friend.” However, although his victory is less popular in Taiwan, were Biden to win, he could provide the democratic island with some breathing space at a time when the probability of war in the Taiwan Strait is rising. Although the US-China confrontation will endure regardless of which presidential candidate prevails in the days to come, a Biden administration would pursue more constructive diplomacy than that conducted by Trump. In essence, it would put greater emphasis on re-engaging with US allies and international institutions when competing with China. This approach could mitigate the growing enmity between the world’s two superpowers and help de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Furthermore, Antony Blinken, top Biden campaign aide and among the contenders for the post of US secretary of state in a Biden administration, indicated in an interview with CBS News in May that he would adopt a balancing strategy in dealing with cross-strait relations. This strategy is not going to be as pro-Taiwan as the one pursued by Trump . Yet, paradoxically, a US balancing policy would help foster a safer and more stable environment in the Taiwan Strait, because the US would not provoke China by attempting to cross its red lines, which in turn could lessen the possibility of a Chinese military assault on Taiwan. Why US arms sales to Taiwan are a gift for China In sum, if Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s priorities are indeed “to establish a constructive security relationship, built on the clear understanding of our shared interests in the region”, then a Biden victory, combined with his internationalist posture and faith in democracy, should be a more welcome result for Taiwan than a Trump re-election. Taiwan’s democratic values are what distinguish it from China. To continue shining as a beacon of freedom, Taiwan needs a US leader who appreciates its merits. Chin Hsueh, Taipei