He says Parliamentary authorities have decided that the existence of separate Taiwan and Tibet Friendship Group of MPs cannot be advertised on the official Parliamentary website.

Apparently, they fear that acknowledging the existence of the Taiwan and Tibet groups implies recognition of Taiwan and Tibet as separate states from China, and would therefore upset the Chinese authorities.

"This policy of official subservience to and pathological fear of upsetting China is becoming patently absurd, and makes us a laughing stock, no longer masters of own destiny."

"Not only will they not allow the existence of these groups to be promoted on the website, they are not all that keen about even retaining contact details within Parliament in case even that limited move could be interpreted as some form of official recognition," he says.

Mr Dunne, who belongs to both the Taiwan and Tibet groups, says many Parliamentary Friendship Groups exist and they are a valuable way of building links between countries.

"My conclusion from all this is that our Parliament, spurred on by the left-wing Government we now have, has no real interest in promoting stronger links with democratic states like Taiwan, and is much more interested instead in bolstering dictatorial human-rights abusing states like China," Mr Dunne says.

ENDS