Taipei: A delegation of opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers visiting the United States stated Monday that it had met with San Francisco city officials to discuss technology innovation, autonomous vehicles, and social welfare policies.
According to Focus Taiwan, the delegation, composed of KMT lawmakers Hsu Chiao-hsin, Liao Wei-hsiang, Huang Chien-hao, Lo Chih-chiang, Hung Mong-kai, Lo Ting-wei, Ko Ju-chun, and Chen Ching-hui, embarked on a 12-day U.S. trip on September 9, including stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York. During their visit to San Francisco, the lawmakers met with Mark Chandler, director of the San Francisco Mayor's Office of International Trade and Commerce, to discuss technological innovation, smart transportation, and social welfare policies.
The delegation also engaged with members of the San Francisco Taipei Sister City Committee to promote local-level exchanges between Taiwan and the United States. Several lawmakers experienced autonomous vehicles operated by Tesla and Waymo, noting the integration of self-driving cars into the city's transportation system. They highlighted San Francisco's regulatory environment and innovation-friendly policies as key factors in making the city a global technology hub, suggesting that Taiwan could benefit from similar approaches as it updates regulations for smart transportation and emerging technologies.
The two sides exchanged views on autonomous vehicle regulations, startup ecosystems, services for homeless individuals, and ways to deepen sister-city ties. The lawmakers expressed gratitude to overseas Taiwanese communities and civic organizations for their efforts in strengthening Taiwan-U.S. relations and expressed a desire to expand exchanges in technology, trade, and culture.
The lawmakers reported gaining firsthand insight into the application of advanced technologies in urban governance and the challenges faced by cities in supporting vulnerable populations. They intend to apply this experience in the Legislative Yuan to promote startup development and policies affecting livelihoods in Taiwan. Earlier in their trip, the delegation visited the KMT's U.S. headquarters, the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in San Francisco, and several longstanding overseas Chinese community organizations for discussions with community representatives.
Additionally, the delegation visited Roblox Corp.'s headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area to discuss child online safety and next-generation immersive technology with company executives, as per an earlier statement from Hsu's office.