There is one part of the world where a small democracy is routinely threatened and harassed by a dictatorship fifty times its size. I’m speaking of the situation on the Taiwan Strait where an island of 23 million is confronted by a country of 1.3 billion. Taiwan has all the trappings of a state; a flag, an anthemn, an army, a president and a parliament. Yet, thanks to Beijing’s “one China” dogma, the rest of the world refuses to accept that Taiwan exists.

China cuts ties with any country which recognises Taipei and keeps Taiwan from becoming a member of many international organisations including (disgracefully) the United Nations. Beijing’s bullying also extends to the military sphere. Every day of every year the men, women and children of Taiwan go about their daily business with 400 missiles pointed at them. Taiwanese elections are accompanied by Chinese war games and bellicose threats about the implications of electing the “wrong” candidate. The Chinese Communist Party has promised to “wash Taiwan with blood” if the island ever declares independence.

In the face of this appalling injustice, where is the outcry? Why are people not marching in the streets? By all rights, Taiwan should be a cause celebre of democrats and progressives everywhere. It is, after all, the plucky underdog standing up to the regime which holds down a fifth of humanity. Yet everywhere, on the streets and in the corridors of power, there is silence.

The first reason for this global apathy is political. For those on the left Taiwan has never attracted sympathy because of old Cold War prejudices. The island is unfortunately still associated with the brutal authoritarian rule of Chiang Kai-Shek who ruled from 1949 until his death in 1975. His Taiwan was emphatically in the American camp, a leading anti-communist state in East Asia. His Taiwan was also a place ruled by martial law where political dissidents were sent to a prison island, where independent newspapers were closed down and where opposition parties were banned. It’s no surprise that Chiang’s Taiwan was unpopular on the left.

But the left must acknowledge that times have changed since the Generalissimo passed away. In the last 30 years Taiwan has become a fully democratic state. The struggle for democracy was long and at times bloody but the result has been remarkable. The Taiwanese enjoy more freedom than any other people in Asia. The press is free to print what it likes, the people are free to protest and the former opposition are now in power. Perhaps because of the long years of martial law, people in Taiwan have taken to democracy with gusto. Election campaigns are wonderfully noisy and colourful. The Legislative Yuan is the scene of many “lively” exchanges.

This is a story of a country moving from dictatorship to democracy. This is a story of a culture, which many believed to be inherently authoritarian, embracing democracy with enthusiasm. This story should be cited all round the world as an example of how people can improve their political system Yet Taiwan’s story goes untold, its lessons unlearnt.

The other reason for Taiwan’s lack of support is economic. Put simply, many businessmen and politicians in the west are obsessed with the opportunities they believe exist in China. When western businessmen describe China as “the last great untapped market” one can almost see the saliva dripping from their mouths. “1.3 billion people! 1.3 billion consumers! Imagine if they all wore Nike/drank Coke/drove Fords!” This greed is transmitted to the political elite in the west. “At all costs”, they are told, “play nice with the Politburo, the gatekeepers of this vast market of future DVD owners”.

In the face of this pressure Taiwan, in spite of its own considerable economic power, can’t compete. Any move to ease the political blockade of Taiwan meets with fierce resistance from Beijing. Simply inviting a Taiwanese lawmaker to your country is enough to provoke a diplomatic incident with China. And it’s not just Taiwan. Other groups which have incurred the ire of Beijing, the Tibetans, the Falun Gong, the democracy movement, have felt the icy winds of international isolation.

There is a way out of this. As I mentioned earlier, China severs ties with any country which recognises Taiwan. But this tactic will only work against the weak and the few. It can’t work against the strong and the many. What would happen if the European Union, comprising 25 countries, were to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan? Would China be prepared to break all ties with all of Europe?