Who's Terry Gou—Taiwanese presidential candidate advocating direct talks with China
Terry Gou—founder of Foxconn Technology Group—announced his candidacy for the post of Taiwan's president on Monday. Reportedly, Gou has begun campaigning across Taiwan, pledging to improve ties with China. This will be his second try at the top post, following an unsuccessful 2019 attempt at nomination for the Kuomintang (KMT). He will need 290,000 signatures by November 2 to qualify as an independent candidate.
Why does this story matter?
The announcement comes at a time when tensions between Taipei and Beijing are at an all-time high, with China conducting frequent military exercises around the island. While Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring the territory under its control, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen strongly disputes China's sovereignty claims, asserting only the island's people can decide their future.
Gou's announcement of Taiwanese presidential run
Announcing his presidential bid, Gou said, "In the past seven years, the situation in Taiwan has remained grim, and its economy, defense, and diplomacy have approached the edge of the cliff. For this, we must pull the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) off the shelf." "Taiwan must not become Ukraine, and I will not let Taiwan become the next Ukraine," he added.
Foxconn founder's plea to Taiwan voters
Gou's major pre-campaign message has been to prevent conflict with China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory. He reportedly believes that removing the ruling DPP is the only way out. "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 mutual trust across the strait," he said.
Gou advocates direct negotiations with China
Gou has always advocated for talks with China rather than taking help from the West. Previously, he urged Taiwan and China to start direct negotiations under the "one-China" policy, alluding to the idea that Taiwan is part of China, per Reuters. This stance could significantly influence his campaign and potential presidency by shaping his policies regarding Taiwan's relationship with China.
Billionaire businessman aims to lead island country
Gou is a Taiwanese billionaire businessman and former chairman of Foxconn, the world's largest contract manufacturer of electronics and a key supplier to Apple Inc. In 2019, he resigned from Foxconn and joined the KMT—Taiwan's main opposition party—to run for president. However, he lost the bid for nominations, coming in second in the KMT primary. Later, he announced his withdrawal from the party.
Not popular choice per opinion polls
Gou's campaign allegedly got off to a rough start, with a Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation poll conducted on July 20 revealing that only 15.2% of respondents would vote for him. According to Bloomberg, Vice President Lai Ching-te had 33.9% support, former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People's Party had 20.5%, and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi had 18%.
