Daily Management Review

Foxconn Head Gou Could Run For Taiwan President Election Next January


04/16/2019




Foxconn Head Gou Could Run For Taiwan President Election Next January

Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn’s Chairman Terry Gou wants to run for the presidential elections in the country in 2020 even as the global media carried reports about the possibility of the company leader stepping down as the chief of the largest contract manufacturer of the world.
 
While no information about the political party he favoured to run the elections was disclosed by Gou while speaking on the sidelines of an event in Taipei, it is a fact that the his entry into the fray would most certainly shake up the political arena in the country amidst increased tensions between the Island nation and China.
 
Gou said that he would “go” with the standard procedures of the party if he chose the opposition, China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT), and added that a decision about contesting the elections would be made by him “as soon as possible”.
 
 “I didn’t sleep last night ... 2020 is key for Taiwan. The reason for the tense situation (with China) is because it’s a turning point for Taiwan’s direction for politics, economy, defense for the next 20 years,” Gou said.
 
“So I asked myself the whole night ... I need to ask myself what I can do. What I can do for the youth? ... The next 20 years will decide their fate,” he said.
 
While being an ardent member of the KMT party for more than 50 years, in 2016 Gou had given the party an interest-free loan of T$45 million ($1.5 million) exhibiting his loyalty towards it, the party said in a statement.
 
According to Forbes, Gou has a total net worth of $7.6 billion and is the richest man in the Taiwan. On Monday, he had told the media that plans of stepping down in the coming months were being contemplated by him so that younger talent could take his place and more up the ranks within the company.
 
Though he plans to withdraw from daily operations, Gou will remain chairman of Foxconn, the company later said.
 
Presidential elections are to be held in Taiwan in January next year. In recent times, its tensions with China has increased across the Taiwan Strait as drills around the island were conducted by Chinese bombers and warships.
 
“I don’t think the United States would be too happy to see him running because he is close to China and, right now, the U.S. is wary about China,” said Shane Lee, political scientist at Chang Jung University in Taiwan.
 
China has for long claimed ownership over Taiwan and has pledge to get control over it by force if necessary.
 
There are no formal ties between the US and Taiwan but it has a legal obligation to provide security to the island nation. US is also the largest source of arms and ammunition. 
 
“We need peace. We don’t need to buy too many weapons. Peace is the biggest weapon,” Gou said, adding that Taiwan only needs adequate self-defence.
 
“If we spend the money for weapons on economic development, on artificial intelligence, on investment in the United States, this would be the biggest assurance on peace.”
 
“Whose children are willing to sit in those fighter jets?”
 
(Sourec:www.forbes.com)