TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan never takes freedom for granted, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said, during a meeting with Ingrida Circene, chair of the Latvia–Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, on Tuesday.

Taiwan recognizes the necessity of safeguarding freedom and democracy, and continues to enhance its self-defense capabilities and national security, Hsiao said, per the Presidential Office. 

The country holds a key position in the global semiconductor industry and plays an important role in AI hardware manufacturing, she said. Taiwan hopes to leverage these advantages to strengthen national security and defense capabilities to protect the values it cherishes, she added.

Hsiao said that although Taiwan and Latvia are located in different regions of the world, the two countries share mutual interests in many areas, particularly in strengthening democratic systems. 

The vice president said that Taiwan and Latvia have strong potential for collaboration in areas such as autonomous technologies, unmanned systems, and artificial intelligence.

Circene visited Taiwan last year, meeting with top officials and touring the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi County to learn about developments in the drone industry.