Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of primary Apple Inc (AAPL.O) supplier Foxconn, said on Monday he would seek the presidency of Taiwan in the 2024 elections to ensure the island did not become “the next Ukraine.” Gou, one of Asia’s most successful businessmen and a close friend of China’s President Xi Jinping, was the fourth person to throw his hat in the ring for the January election. He was running as an independent and must collect around 290,000 signatures to become officially registered as a candidate.
Taking to the podium at a temple adorned with red lanterns, Gou said the sea goddess Mazu had recently appeared in a dream and instructed him to run for the top job. He said he had initially had no intention of entering politics. Still, his decision changed after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took office in 2016, leading Taiwan to “the edge of war” over seven years.
He said the DPP’s policies were corrupt, and its internal policies failed to provide a future for the nation. He added that the DPP had also endangered Taiwan’s economy, defense, and diplomacy.
Gou urged voters to pull the DPP “off the shelf” and restore the nation’s future. He also called for the country to resume direct talks under the “one-China framework,” referencing Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is part of China. The DPP firmly rejects that, viewing the island as an independent state.
But while his announcement deepened the crowded field for the presidency, Gou’s poll numbers before his announcement put him well behind the front-runner, the ruling DPP’s (DPP) William Lai, who is currently vice president. Lai is seen as a strong candidate for his ability to manage cross-straits relations with Beijing, but his support has been slipping recently.
In recent months, Gou has been holding campaign-like events across the island, including staging rallies and commemorating anniversaries, to build up his profile ahead of the presidential election. His bid for the presidency is a clear challenge to the incumbent DPP, which is trying to maintain its grip on power. But whether he can pull off an unlikely victory in the tightly contested race remains to be seen. The result will likely determine the political future of the self-ruled island, which is currently a democracy. China views it as a renegade province that it will one day retake by force and has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on the nation. The KMT favors closer ties with China and is expected to pick its own candidate in December. The DPP is expected to name its candidate in February. Neither is expected to win the election. Both will face a tough run-off in May
