Terry Gou, the founder of Foxconn, has decided to withdraw from Taiwan's 2024 presidential election, confirmed by his running mate Tammy Lai, as reported by the Focus Taiwan website. Lai expressed that they will not be part of the upcoming election, citing it as a challenging but carefully considered decision.
The specifics behind Gou's withdrawal have not been disclosed, but he emphasized that this choice was made "for the future of the Republic of China."
It's yet to be revealed which opposition presidential candidate Gou might endorse moving forward, following his withdrawal from the race.
Initially, in August, Gou had announced an independent bid for the Taiwan presidential election in January 2024. His candidacy placed him against Vice President Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je, and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih of the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT).
During his announcement, Gou expressed aspirations for Taiwan to surpass Singapore economically within 20 years, aiming for the highest GDP per capita in Asia. He also emphasized the importance of ensuring Taiwan's security, stating his commitment to preventing Taiwan from facing a situation akin to Ukraine and pledging to bring stability to the Taiwan Strait for the next 50 years.
As of 2022, Gou's net worth was estimated at $6.8 billion.
(With Agency Inputs)
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