Editor's note: Mario Cavolo is a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization. In this video, he shares his own observations about the U.S.election. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

As the U.S. election is around the corner, many people are wondering how a Biden or Trump presidency will be different for China and the world.

Let's address the easy part first. It is generally believed that a Biden presidency will be less divisive than the continuation of a Trump presidency. Yet we may also consider how the more controversial Trump presidency has been serving to shine a light on China's remarkable successes.

There is an obvious need to dig deeper for balanced, realistic insights regardless of which candidate wins the election. And so, in this video I will put forth my particular view to unlock the political puzzle of perhaps the greatest consequence across the globe in decades – the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.

Let's discuss what happens by asking two probing questions: With either candidate, what are we going to get more of? And question two, what will we get less of?

The Biden presidency will usher in a comparatively harmonious trilateral unity between China as the head of Asia, the United States and the European Union rooted in the well-known multilateralism policy approach. Let's remember why. This was the overall policy direction until 2016 when President Trump's win unexpectedly interrupted Democratic control which was expected to continue under a President Hillary Clinton. Supporters of that more global multilateral policy direction are against the issues related to U.S. hegemony and imperialism.  

And besides any tough talk on China to appease the United States, European leaders know China's strength and their willingness to share, it is essential for post-pandemic recovery and rebuilding of the European Union, Eastern European countries and Italy in particular offer little resistance. Further note, that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was roundly rebuffed during his recent trip to Asia by Asian leaders who remained very non-committal in their comments regarding his urging to pull together with the United States to press aggressively against China.

European leaders don't try to deny that China is the world's single key growth driver, far more capable than the U.S. mired in its own massive problems, and so capable to offer substantial support to Europe's much needed rebuilding.

Therefore, Europe's position toward the U.S. is to pragmatically push for the end of radical policy — "Will you please stop trying to destroy and damage China, the world's core growth driver and strength which is essential to our future?"

You might also be thinking this plays very well in support of China's Belt and Road Initiative which ultimately stretches into the European region.

Let's not misunderstand. Yes, the European Union is reasonably taking a tougher and more demanding stance on China, foreign investment and trade policies to ensure a level playing field.

That's OK. All countries need to hit the diplomatic table together and refresh their agreements working more diligently together than ever before, not divisively, to create a collaborative global future together.

And note that in this scenario China is not trying to export its own culture, governance and ideology on the world while it is expanding mostly through its bilateral approach, and accusations of debt diplomacy have been debunked as well. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the global pandemic pushed China to prove itself to the world, thus turning it into a better global partner in a global world.

Back to the U.S. election, looking forward, what will we see less of with a Biden or Trump presidency?

Well it's almost guaranteed we will see less demonizing of China with a Biden presidency if for no other reason than we will no longer have Secretary of State Mike Pompeo whose anti-China commentary has been particularly extreme.

There's an interesting twist I'd like to discuss with you. While this past year's demonizing of China has been extreme, it shined a light on the truth of how remarkably successful China is and even rallied its citizens together and makes President Xi Jinping's manner and approach to governance look terrific in comparison! So in that sense, more Trump and Pompeo would be good for China? That's looking at the situation with far too narrow a lens.

However, here's a recent personal story to share: just a few days earlier I was invited to a private lunch which had several ultra-wealthy local Chinese businessmen at the table. I took the opportunity to survey if they wanted a Trump presidency to continue and why?

I did not expect all of them to say YES and their reason as businessmen was that Trump is a businessman, not a politician, that the Chinese government has experienced huge admirable success and so they are glad a hard-nosed aggressive Trump will keep the pressure on the Chinese government to not be overconfident, to not rest on their laurels and urging Xi's leadership to continue doing better. Fascinating!

Wrapping it up, the Biden presidency may be just as tough policy wise on China yet perhaps more diplomatic and more capable of working collaboratively together with other countries in a multilateral approach rather than the more unilateral and obviously controversial "Make America Great Again" narrative rooted in Trump's populist commentary and tweets to the world. Either way, we do know China will continue on its own well-defined path.

Scriptwriter: Mario Cavolo

Graphic designer: Yin Yating

Video editors: Feng Ran

Managing editor: Wang Xinyan

Senior producer: Bi Jianlu

Managing director: Mei Yan

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)