Taiwanese president is watching American election, denies devising strategy for US relations if Biden wins

President’s office says Taiwan will respect the outcome of the American election and does not take sides or comment on nations’ internal politics

Scholar says a change of US government is not likely to change its support for Taiwan, although Biden is more likely than Trump to support one-China policy

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Taiwan’s presidential office says Tsai Ing-wen will offer her congratulations to the winner of the US election once it has been decided. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 5:01pm, 5 Nov 2020Updated: 12:11am, 6 Nov 2020

Taiwan has vowed to respect whatever decisions are made by America as the United States presidential election hangs in the balance.

The office of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday dismissed a local news report that Tsai – known for her close relationship with US President Donald Trump’s administration – had to come up with response strategies in the event the US leadership changed.

“The presidential office, national security and other relevant agencies are closely following and watching the progress of the US elections. It has been a long-time practice of the presidential office not to comment on the domestic politics of other countries, nor would we take any side,” presidential spokesman Xavier Chang said.

“For a democratic country like the US, we respect whatever outcome of the election which is made through a sound constitutional system,” Chang said, adding that after the result was known Taiwan would congratulate the winner in an appropriate way.

Tsai and her government would offer their views on the international situation after the elections, he said.

In a poll by the British firm YouGov last month, 42 per cent of people surveyed in Taiwan favoured Trump for a second term. But the island is treading cautiously over its response to the US election in which Democrat Joe Biden is currently leading.

Under Trump, Taiwan’s relations with the US have been described by Tsai as the best they have been in more than four decades, as shown by Trump signing various Taiwan-friendly bills as well as approving 10 arms deals since he took office in 2017.