the tycoon terry goufounder of the technological foxconnannounced this Monday that he will present himself as an independent at the presidential election January 2024 in taiwanreports the island news agency CNAs.
“I have decided to join the 2024 presidential race,” Gou declared at a press conference.
Gou, 72 years old and considered by the magazine Forbes as the sixth richest man in Taiwan thanks to a fortune of about $7.4 billion (6,844 million euros), was one of the favorites to be named candidate of the main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT).
“I implore the people of Taiwan to give me four years. I promise that I will bring peace to the Taiwan Strait for the next fifty years and lay the deepest foundation of mutual trust between the two sides,” he added during his speech.
The nationalist formation appointed in May the mayor of the city of New Taipei, Hou Yu-ihas a candidate for the Presidency, something after which Gou accepted the decision and promised to support the campaign to “get rid of this incompetent government.”
“The Democratic Progressive Party has been in power for more than seven years and has brought the danger of war to Taiwan,” Gou said, referring to the party of Tsai Ing-wen, current president of the island.
In addition, he assured that he would “never let Taiwan become the next Ukraine”, referring to the ongoing invasion of Russia.
But Foxconn from Gou has built huge factories in chinaand critics have alleged that he has a cozy relationship with the leadership in Beijing.
However, a few weeks ago Gou proposed a front of opposition parties against the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (PDP), which will present the current vice president, Lai Ching-te, to the presidential elections, in which Tsai Ing-wen he cannot aspire to a third term.
Asked Monday about his ties to the Chinese government given Foxconn’s extensive investments on the mainland, Gou said he has not been involved in running the firm for four years.
“I have never been under the control (of the Chinese Communist Party)… I will not be threatened,” he told reporters.
After announcing his intentions to present himself as an independent, Gou must now officially request it and, in the following 45 days, obtain the signatures of at least 1.5% of the electorate of the last legislative elections, which is equivalent to some 290,000 people.
Gou had already tried to be the KMT candidate for the 2020 presidential elections, but was defeated by Han Kuo-yu.
Foxconn is one of the world’s largest contractors for the manufacture of electronics, and is a key supplier of Apple iPhones.
Taiwan will hold presidential elections in January next year.
(With information from AFP and EFE)
Keep reading:
Taiwan denounced that the incorporation of the Chinese regime into the Central American Parliament will undermine democracy in the region
The ghosts of Xi Jinping: between the economy and Taiwan
The United States approved a possible sale of F-16 jets and infrared tracking systems to Taiwan
Source-www.infobae.com