Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of Foxconn, the world’s largest contract producer of electronics, including Apple’s iPhones, declared his intention to run for the presidency of Taiwan as an independent candidate. Gou’s declaration follows a failed earlier attempt to win the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party’s candidacy for the forthcoming January election.Gou declared during a news conference that he had made up his mind to run for president in 2024. I beg the Taiwanese people to give me four years. I swear to keep the Taiwan Strait peaceful for the next 50 years and build the strongest possible foundation of trust between the two sides.
Gou has long desired to be the leader of the autonomous island. When he previously sought the KMT candidacy, the party chose Hou Yu-ih, the current mayor of New Taipei City, as its candidate. Gou is currently attempting to collect 290,000 signatures in order to become an independent candidate.
Gou has difficulties despite having a reputation as a great businessman because of his considerable trade with China. Since Foxconn has acquired sizable production sites in mainland China, some have questioned his relationship with Beijing’s political establishment.
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Gou underlined that he has not been active in Foxconn’s management for the past four years in response to questions about his connections to the Chinese government and insisted that he has never been in the CCP’s direct authority.
The political picture in Taiwan is complicated as China makes territorial claims to the island. As her term as president comes to an end, President Tsai Ing-wen has been steadfast in rejecting Beijing’s claims, which has raised diplomatic and military concerns. This sensitive relationship takes on a new dimension as a result of Gou’s presidential campaign.
Vice President William Lai Ching-te, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, is now in the lead as Taiwan gears up for the impending presidential election in January. Gou’s candidacy adds more drama to the contest as he vows to change the regional political landscape in an effort to introduce his concept of leadership to the autonomous island.
