Foxconn founder: Apple business means China can't threaten him

Billionaire Foxconn founder Terry Gou is running for president of Taiwan, and says he "will not bow to China's threats," as any political pressure would disrupt sales to Apple, Tesla, and others.

Gou previously announced a run for Taiwanese president in 2019, and as part of that said that he would stepped down from running Foxconn.

According to Bloomberg, has now again announced his intention to run for the presidency and, speaking at the launch of his campaign in Taipei, denied China could put any pressure on him.

"I will not bow to China's threats," he said, adding that he doesn't take instructions from the government, and that he has "personal" assets in the country. He further said that were China to apply political pressure, it would hurt the country's manufacturing, and also major global pension funds.

"No foreign investor will dare to invest [in China]," he said, if supply chains for the likes of Apple, Tesla, Amazon, and Nvidia, were disrupted. He added that China's economy is currently in a "terrible" condition.

In a statement issued after Gou's remarks, Foxconn said that he "no longer participates in the daily management of the company."

The Taiwan presidential elections are scheduled for January 2024. Gou is currently one of four people campaigning for the post.

Prior to stepping down, Gou said in 2019 that he wanted Apple to move production from China and into Taiwan. "I am urging Apple to move to Taiwan," he said, because of the situation at the time regarding US tariffs on Chinese-made goods.

13 Comments

williamh 1048 comments · 13 Years

About 1 year ago

I am not sure why Gou thinks that a communist dictator would feel constrained either by the interests of foreign companies and global pension funds or even the interests of their own domestic economy when it comes to achieving their major strategic goals. All I can say to him is that I hope he is right.

charlesn 1193 comments · 11 Years

And we know he's right because this kind of thinking worked out so well for Hong Kong! SMH. He should also consider that one of the main reasons that China's economy isn't doing well is because the government is flexing its power to assert greater control. The Party knows best! This has, for some time now, led to "ABC" thinking when companies are considering where to locate new factories: Anywhere But China. But The Party is perfectly willing to kill off the goose with golden eggs if doing so strengthens its grip on power. Of course, even for dictatorships, there's a link between the economy and staying in power--you can't have the masses get TOO unhappy--but the CCP will always choose to err on the side of power.

mikethemartian 1493 comments · 18 Years

I would rather have the backing of the U.S. military.

paraeeker 76 comments · 4 Years

I believe that Gou is right on point here. China would not want to shoot itself in the foot.

Chinese economic progress in the last 3 decades owes in large part to Taiwanese businesspeople who have made large investments in China in manufacturing from tech to toys to clothing to bicycles and everything in between.

Soft diplomacy/power has been their play for decades and I think it will continue. Ditto for the Taiwanese.

waveparticle 1497 comments · 3 Years

charlesn said:

And we know he's right because this kind of thinking worked out so well for Hong Kong! SMH. He should also consider that one of the main reasons that China's economy isn't doing well is because the government is flexing its power to assert greater control. The Party knows best! This has, for some time now, led to "ABC" thinking when companies are considering where to locate new factories: Anywhere But China. But The Party is perfectly willing to kill off the goose with golden eggs if doing so strengthens its grip on power. Of course, even for dictatorships, there's a link between the economy and staying in power--you can't have the masses get TOO unhappy--but the CCP will always choose to err on the side of power.

Wrong! The truth of the facts is Hong Kong got into trouble because some people are adamantly against China, not because of your various distorted hatreds.