Latvian lawmakers arrive in Taiwan for UAV AI center visit

Taipei, Aug. 10 (CNA) An eight-member Latvian parliamentary delegation led by Ingrīda Circene, chair of the Latvia-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group, arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a visit that includes a stop at the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in southern Taiwan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it is the first time in recent years that Latvia's parliament has sent an official delegation to Taiwan.

During their Sunday-Thursday visit, the delegation will meet with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and attend banquets hosted by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), MOFA said.

The delegation will also meet with Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Hung-hui (柏鴻輝), and senior officials from the Mainland Affairs Council and the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs

They will also visit the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center (Asia Innovation Center) in Chiayi County, the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau in Hsinchu City, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute in Hsinchu County, MOFA said.

The ministry said Taiwan and Latvia share the values of freedom and democracy, and expressed hope the visit will boost cooperation across various fields and strengthen parliamentary ties.