TAIPEI: Taiwan’s premier donned virtual reality goggles in parliament Friday to discuss the future of the island’s tech industry in what looked like a debate between robots.
Legislator Huang Kuo-chang of the opposition New Power Party (NPP), a former student protest leader who was also wearing the goggles, persuaded Lin Chuan to put on the chunky black headset covering his eyes.
Both then discussed the challenges for Taiwan’s key tech industry, which is looking to virtual reality to breathe new life into the sector.
With straight faces, the pair debated for five minutes wearing the futuristic visors. Huang said he wanted to highlight the difficulties ahead for Taiwan as a manufacturer for global brands.
“It’s time for Taiwan’s industries to transform, and I think one of the directions is VR,” he said in a question and answer session.
Lin replied that his government was seeking to turn Taiwan — which is focused on automation, Internet and artificial intelligence — into Asia’s Silicon Valley.
Taiwan PM wears VR goggles in parliament
Taiwan PM wears VR goggles in parliament
