Taipei Times
Date: Jan 23, 2017
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump’s election on Nov. 8 last year has brought about mixed feelings in Taiwan, a small nation that, despite being more than 12,000km from the US, whose international status and national security hinge on the policy direction of the world’s leading power.

The US Republican Party’s relatively pro-Taiwan stance, or most importantly its antagonism against China, has raised hopes that Taiwan could stand to gain from a Republican administration, mainly through warmer Taiwan-US ties or larger arms sales packages from the US.

Trump’s perceivably provocative rhetoric targeting Beijing and moves that stirred the waters in the Taiwan Strait since his election have reinforced those hopes, in particular the tycoon-turned-politician’s decision to go about telling the world about his unprecedented telephone call with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and his questioning of Washington’s long-standing “one China” policy.    [FULL  STORY]