TAIPEI: Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, said on Friday (Oct 6) that he had already collected enough electorate signatures to qualify to stand as an independent in January’s presidential election.
Gou announced his bid in August, saying he wanted to unite the opposition and ensure the island did not become “the next Ukraine”, blaming the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for taking Taiwan to the brink of war by antagonising China which claims the island as its own territory.
Gou was the fourth person to throw his hat in the ring, but his poll numbers have put him at the bottom and well behind the front-runner, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) William Lai, who is currently vice president.
Speaking to supporters at a temple in Banqiao outside of Taipei, Gou said he had already on Wednesday collected enough signatures to qualify to be on the ballot, his campaign said in a statement.
“Your signatures are a responsibility for me, and your signatures are a spur and encouragement to me. I will continue to work hard to the end,” it quoted him as saying.
Source: CNA
