TAIPEI, Taiwan — The situation in this part of the world has mostly dropped from the radar screens of the news media, after Beijing’s seizure of petulance following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit here earlier this month put the Taiwan Strait front and center, again, on the world stage. Now, a Congressional delegation visit to the island barely manages to generate a sidebar mention on Politico.

Of course, not much has actually changed. Taiwan still wakes up every morning under the shadow of invasion by its much larger, totalitarian, belligerent and increasingly unhinged neighbor which continues to harbor the delusion that Taiwan is merely a rouge province of the People’s Republic of China.

The mainland extended its military drills around Taiwan and in the Taiwan Strait, ostensibly in response to the new Congressional visit, including more incursions by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes into Taiwanese territory — something that has been a nearly daily occurrence now for months — and a heightened naval presence in the strait. The PRC’s ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, embarked on a 15-minute prepared temper tantrum for the benefit of a dozen or so members of the D.C. press corps this week, reciting the same pablum about “unnecessary provocations” and American “interference with internal Chinese affairs,” drafted by the same coterie that tried to convince everyone that the military exercises a couple weeks ago were a spur-of-the-moment reaction to Pelosi’s visit. Of course, any major live-fire combined arms exercise requires weeks or months of planning and preparation, especially those of the magnitude to demonstrate an ability to effectively blockade an island the size of Taiwan. The PRC had these drills planned out for God knows how long, Pelosi’s visit simply provided a convenient excuse.

The Taiwanese, for their part, are pretty much taking it all in stride. This is a proud, generous and dynamic nation which, after years of liberal reforms, combined with the industry and energy of its people, created something of a super mini-power. Dark clouds building to their west are nothing new to them. Their quiet revenge is to continue to live, build, and prosper — they are not a people living in fear.

But discussions with Taiwanese government officials reveal that the stark reality of their situation is never far from mind. They are justifiably proud of their little democratic outpost and the economic miracle they created here, and wish to preserve it, and the freedom which cultivated it. So they take Beijing’s threats seriously, even as it is difficult to take Beijing’s claims seriously. Taiwan, of course, has never been a part of communist China; it was occupied by the Japanese in 1895, liberated in 1945, and administered by China — under Chiang Kai-shek — until 1949 and isolated from the mainland ever since Kai-shek withdrew to the island following Kuomintang’s defeat to the Communists. In the last 127 years, Beijing has ruled Taiwan for four of them — and for none as the People’s Republic.

It may be little more than a pleasant dream to imagine that the U.S. will inject its policy of “strategic ambiguity” with a dose of clarity, let alone give up reciting the catechism of “One China” any time soon. Still, the U.S is not impotent. What Taiwan most needs and desires at this point — beside the American Pacific Fleet — is formal inclusion in international organizations, and in regional and bilateral trade agreements. Weighty stuff, to be sure, but opportunities exist, even at lower echelons (like the state level), to make progress.

Colorado ought to take advantage of this opportunity to expand our economic relationship with Taiwan — tremendous opportunities exist in the aerospace industry, for instance, as well as the energy sector. A good first step would be reopening the Colorado State Trade Office in Taipei.

The United States and other western nations have strategic, political, economic and moral reasons to defend Taiwan’s freedom. They can help facilitate this by orchestrating a more formal inclusion of Taiwan, politically, diplomatically and economically, into the community of free nations. Taiwan deserves this support, along with our military commitment which, if crystallized sufficiently, might obviate its need.

Kelly Sloan is a political and public affairs consultant and a recovering journalist based in Denver.