Baiba Zariņa is a career diplomat working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. She currently holds the position of Deputy Head of Asia and Pacific Division, focusing on relations with China and the Indo-Pacific. Prior to this role, she spent several years in Southeast Asia working on political issues in the EU Delegation to Laos. She has also worked on the Western Balkans and European affairs, including in the Latvian Permanent Representation to the EU. She holds degrees in international relations and law from Riga Stradins University and University of Latvia.