TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — With less than a week left until the Kuomintang (KMT) announces its choice of a presidential candidate, Foxconn founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) was joined in a temple visit by the wife of one of Taiwan’s most popular business people.
Sophie Chang (張淑芬), the wife of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀), stood on the stage with several other people, including Gou’s wife and brother, as he addressed a crowd estimated at 5,000, UDN reported. The event took place at a temple in the Banqiao District of New Taipei City, where his main rival, Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), has been serving as mayor since 2018.
The KMT has said it will announce its candidate for the Jan. 13, 2024 election next Wednesday (May 17). While many observers expect Hou to be selected, Gou has been mounting a high-profile campaign around the country with rallies and visits to local politicians.
The event at the Banqiao temple on Friday (May 12) was styled as a celebration of Mother’s Day. One of the proposals the tycoon repeated from his attempted 2020 presidential bid was a plan for free education for all children from birth until the age of six.
Gou also presented himself as the candidate for peace with China. He said he was planning to visit the frontline island of Kinmen near the Chinese province of Fujian on Saturday (May 13).