What will Joe Biden’s presidency mean for US-Taiwan relations?
- Donald Trump oversaw a steadily warming relationship, though one former adviser has said he saw the island as a bargaining chip
- The new president’s stance on mainland China is likely to be a key factor in shaping the future relationship
Taiwan-US relations warmed to an unprecedented degree during Donald Trump’s presidency despite Beijing’s repeated protests, but it remains to be seen if this can be maintained under Joe Biden.
The 10-minute phone conversation was the first of its kind since Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Taipei from Beijing in 1979.
Though Trump initially tried to act prudently in managing US-Taiwan relations in the face of Chinese wrath, he later made an all-out effort to elevate ties with Taiwan after starting a trade war against mainland China and a series of confrontations over issues such as security, technology and human rights.
“Since that phone call, Taiwan-US relations have continued to skyrocket as evidenced by various bills Trump has signed in Taiwan’s favour,” said Lai I-chung, president of the Prospect Foundation, a government-funded think tank.
