Taiwan’s democracy thrives under the shadow of China

The idea that the Communist Party of China is an urgent threat to democracy is commonplace in the West. The reality, for those who pay attention, is more complex.

The emergence of a non-democratic great power in Asia, and the economic and diplomatic patronage it provides, might make a difference at the margins to the evolution of political regimes in our region, especially at critical moments of political crisis or transition. But contemporary democratic regression and authoritarian consolidation in Asia is…