Taiwan is both exhilarated and unnerved by Trump's China remarks

“Many people in Taiwan worry that once Trump takes office, he’ll make a U-turn,” Mr. Lin said. “We are suspicious of his motivations.”…

Many have applauded Mr. Trump’s stand, describing his decision to break protocol and speak by phone with Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s leader, as an overdue gesture toward one of Washington’s most reliable friends in Asia and a young democracy. Taiwan is the United States’ ninth-largest trading partner and has purchased more than $46 billion in American weapons since 1990.

But residents are also coming to grips with the reality that their most vocal champion on the world stage now is a businessman known for his love of cutting deals and his erratic approach to policy making.

“He’s an uncontrollable force,” said Hsu Tse-mei, 57, a retired bank manager in Taipei. “We’re caught between two powerful countries, China and the United States, and we’re at the mercy of Trump.”