Foxconn Founder Qualifies to Run for President... 'Pro-China' Political Stance

Guo Taiming, Foxconn Founder, Runs for Taiwan Presidential Election
900,000 Voters Sign Petition... Qualifies as Independent Candidate
Running Mate Is Actor from Netflix's 'Insunjiin'

In the upcoming Taiwanese presidential election scheduled for January next year, Terry Gou, the founder of Foxconn, is running as an independent candidate, drawing attention as his running mate is a famous actor who portrayed a presidential candidate in a Netflix series.

With just over two months remaining before the Taiwanese presidential election, Terry Gou and his running mate Lai Peixia have secured the right to run as independents by collecting signatures from 902,389 voters, according to reports from Taiwanese media outlet Liberty Times on the 15th.

Terry Gou, Foxconn Founder, Qualifies for Independent Candidacy

Guo Taiming, founder of Foxconn, who declared his candidacy as an independent for the Taiwan presidential election in January next year, is seen shaking hands and greeting with his running mate Lai Peixia in Taipei on September 14. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Central Election Commission of Taiwan, to qualify as an independent candidate, one must collect signatures from 1.5% of the total electorate from the previous presidential election. In this case, the minimum required number of signatures was 289,667, but Terry Gou surpassed this by more than three times. Nine other candidates failed to qualify as independents.

Terry Gou is a prominent figure in Taiwan's business world, known for founding Foxconn, Taiwan's leading electronics contract manufacturer and Apple's largest supplier. According to the American business magazine Forbes, as of the end of last year, he holds assets worth $7.2 billion (approximately 9.5 trillion KRW), ranking 317th globally and 6th in Taiwan among billionaires.

Before the 2020 presidential election, he stepped down as chairman of Foxconn and joined the main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), participating in the primary but losing. He also ran in the KMT's presidential primary this past May but was eliminated, and three months later declared his independent candidacy. His political stance is pro-China, and he is often referred to as "Taiwan's Trump." His candidacy is expected to split votes that might otherwise go to the KMT.

Lai Peixia, Presidential Candidate from Drama that Sparked Taiwan's 'Me Too' Movement

A scene from the drama Inseonjinin. [Image source=Netflix]

Attention is also focused on his running mate, Lai Peixia. Lai is a well-known Taiwanese actress who gained popularity earlier this year by portraying a presidential candidate in the Netflix drama "Inseonjiin." The drama addressed sensitive issues such as workplace sexual harassment and the division of household chores between spouses, sparking a new wave of the 'Me Too' movement in Taiwanese society. Should Terry Gou win, Lai Peixia will become the vice president.

When introducing Lai Peixia as his running mate last September, Terry Gou said, "When I decided to run, I thought Lai Peixia was the only choice for my running mate." In response, Lai Peixia stated, "After meeting Terry Gou several times, I am confident that we can collaborate effectively."

Taiwan's next presidential election will be held on January 13 next year, alongside the legislative elections. The winner will take office on May 20, succeeding the current president, Tsai Ing-wen.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.