Taipei, 28 Aug, 2023 (GNP): Renowned entrepreneur and billionaire founder of Foxconn, Terry Gou, has officially declared his intention to run for the presidency of Taiwan as an independent candidate in the upcoming election slated for January 2024.
Terry Gou acknowledged as the wealthiest individual in Taiwan, has harbored political aspirations for some time. He stepped down from his role at Foxconn in 2019 to secure the nomination from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party in the previous election. However, his endeavors were unsuccessful.
Earlier this year, the KMT chose Hou Yu-ih, the Mayor of New Taipei City, as their candidate, leading Gou to announce his independent run for the presidency.
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Addressing the press at a conference, Gou asserted, “I have decided to join the 2024 presidential race.” As an independent candidate, Gou is required to gather 290,000 signatures by November 2 to validate his candidacy. Over the past few months, he has been actively engaging in campaign-style events across Taiwan.
Foxconn stands as one of the globe’s foremost contract producers of electronics and a significant supplier for Apple, including producing key components for iPhones.
Gou, during his announcement, criticized the current ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for what he believes is a trajectory toward “danger of war” and identified perceived errors in their domestic policies.
Pledging stability and peace, he vowed, “Give me four years and I promise that I will bring 50 years of peace to the Taiwan Strait and build the deepest foundation for the mutual trust across the strait. Taiwan must not become Ukraine and I will not let Taiwan become the next Ukraine.”
The presidential race is currently led by Vice President Lai Ching-te, representing the DPP. On the other hand, the KMT’s candidate, Hou, trails behind former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party.
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China’s increasing efforts to diplomatically isolate Taiwan have escalated since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen. Accusing Tsai of separatist tendencies, China has regularly conducted military exercises near the island to assert its sovereignty claim.
Gou’s announcement comes amid rising tensions between Taiwan and China, with the US recently approving a weapons sale to Taiwan. While the US does not officially recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty, it remains a crucial ally and security partner. The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, has expressed ambitions to reunite Taiwan with mainland China by 2049, even if it requires the use of force.