Taiwan's richest person Terry Gou, chairman Foxconn announced on Wednesday, that he will contest the country's 2020 presidential election after being urged to do so by a Chinese sea goddess. Gou will step down from Foxconn(Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd.), one of Apple’s most important manufacturers, in order to campaign for the nomination of the Kuomintang, the pro-China opposition party.
The tech-billionaire pose to bring significant challenge for Taiwan's first female President Tsai Ing-wen. Gou is one of Taiwan's richest people in Taiwan. He has founded Foxconn in 1974 and has held no political office, with a net worth of $7.8 billion, is the founder and Chairman of the world's biggest iPhone assembler, Foxconn.
The 68-year-old said he plans to step back from daily operations. Gou earlier said that his presidential aspirations had been blessed by Mazu, the sea goddess who is one of the most important Taoist and Buddhist deities.
Gou’s lack of government experience may be balanced in the mind of voters by his relationships with Donald Trump and China’s government. Foxconn has committed to building a $10 billion factory in Wisconsin.
"If I'm elected, I will represent Kuomintang in the 2020 presidential election to compete," he said. "If I'm not elected, it means I haven't worked hard enough.
"I will then fully support the candidate selected from the party's primary system."
Earlier in the day he told a crowd at a popular temple in Taipei that he'd received divine inspiration for his political bid.
"Three days ago, Mazu came to me in a dream," he said, speaking in a local dialect. "Mazu doesn't want Taiwanese society to be so difficult. Mazu told me to come out and do something."
He further said, the goddess had nurtured him from a child to a grown man. "I am Mazu's godson. I want to do more for Taiwan's people. I will definitely follow Mazu's instructions."
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