TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan and Paraguay are like close family members, Legislative Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said Tuesday during a visit to the Latin American country.

Chiang was heading a cross-party delegation of lawmakers to the US and to Paraguay, where they arrived Tuesday. The first itinerary on their mission was to visit Paraguay Chamber of Deputies President Raul Latorre, per CNA.

Paraguay is one of Taiwan’s 12 official allies, and the only one in South America, with most of the others located in Central America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. During the visit, Chiang emphasized the two nations’ shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

He referenced the relations between Taiwan and Paraguay to beef noodles, combining beef from Paraguay with a Taiwanese sauce to create a world-class dish. When Latorre visited Taiwan in October, he reportedly dined on beef noodles prepared with beef from his country.

After visiting Latorre, the Taiwan delegation met with 15 lawmakers from Paraguay, showing how bilateral relations amounted to a bipartisan consensus in both countries, Chiang said.

Before arriving in South America, the delegation had attended a meeting of Taiwanese business people and expats in Detroit, UDN reported.