Billionaire Foxconn founder Terry Gou’s plan to support Taiwan’s presidency has thrown a spanner in the works of a January election anticipated to give back the ruling party for a third term at the moments where stress is already on its peak in China. His wildcard entry as an independent candidate has been attacked by the sole opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), which fears Mr Gou could split its vote, and is being intimately observed by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in case he does, opposite to anticipations, bring together its challengers.
Mr Gou, who stepped himself off the pedestal of chairman of major Apple supplier Foxconn in 2019 but goes on to be one of Taiwan’s most renowned figures internationally, has said he wants to “integrate” opposition forces to “take down” the DPP who he believes is risking war with China. The election happens at a time when rapports between Taipei and Beijing, which claims the island as its own and has rejected to rule out seizing it by force, have become bad. Beijing has staged several military drills around the island in recent years, bringing criticisms from the United States and its companions.