Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 02:44 am
We have learned that Taiwan billionaire Terry Gou has selected Tammy Lai, a veteran actress, as his running mate for the upcoming presidential election in January. This has come as a surprise to many due to her lack of political experience. Mr Gou, the founder of Foxconn, is running as an independent candidate.
The election will take place in the shadow of an increasingly assertive China, which has made it clear that it would not rule out the use of force to take the island. Taiwan has been a democracy since 1996, but Chinese claims over it are not new.
Ms Lai played a presidential candidate in the Netflix show Wave Makers, which sparked a MeToo movement in Taiwan earlier this year. The series led to allegations of sexual harassment and assault against politicians, activists, and celebrities. Ms Tsai, the current president, apologised and promised reform.
Despite Ms Lai’s popularity among young people due to her performance in Wave Makers, her selection as Mr Gou’s running mate is not expected to affect the results of the election. Mr Gou is trailing behind other candidates such as William Lai of the DPP and Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party.
Mr Gou has been appealing to voters with his business success and experience in working with China. He started Foxconn in 1974 and the company has become a main supplier for Apple. He has pledged to bring Taiwan “back from the abyss of war with China”.
Ms Lai has admitted to knowing little about politics but finds Mr Gou “very interesting” and believes they can work together. Mr Gou described her as “an outstanding, all-round writer and spiritual mentor”. They both claim to have no political baggage and are deeply concerned about the needs of the people.
In conclusion, the selection of Tammy Lai as Terry Gou’s running mate for the presidential election in Taiwan is an unexpected move. However, it is not expected to have a significant impact on the election results. The election will take place in the shadow of an increasingly assertive China, and Mr Gou has been appealing to voters with his business success and experience in working with China.
