Foxconn tycoon Terry Gou’s bid for Taiwan presidency hits feminist storm
- Terry Gou reveals his wife has left him over his move into politics
- Dismisses her opposition with sexist remark
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Taiwan’s wealthiest man Terry Gou has caused a storm after dismissing his wife’s opposition to his presidential bid by saying “the harem should not meddle in politics”.
Gou made the comment to multiple media outlets after revealing on Thursday that his wife Delia Tseng had left him after his announcement last week that he intended to run for president in January’s elections.
The 69-year-old head of tech giant Foxconn is seeking nomination from the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party, after declaring the sea goddess Matsu had urged him to take part in the presidential race.
“My biggest challenge now is my wife who has already left home,” he told local channel ECB.
When asked for his reaction to his wife’s departure, Gou made the controversial remark, sparking a backlash on social media.
“Who does chairman Gou think he is? If he wants to be an emperor he should go to [mainland] China to replace Xi Jinping,” prominent feminist campaigner Fan Yun wrote on her Facebook page.
“When you wanted to run, you said a woman (Matsu) asked you to, now you are telling women not to meddle in politics,” she said, addressing Gou.
Some internet commenters were offended by the remarks and urged Gou to withdraw from the presidential race.
“How many women are in chairman Gou’s harem? He wants to be an emperor in the Republic of China [Taiwan’s official name]. He should withdraw,” read one post.
Reporters asked Gou to clarify his comments on Friday but he did not respond.
Gou is known for his aggressive deal making and often mercurial public appearances.
His company Foxconn assembles Apple and Huawei phones as well as parts and accessories for other major international brands.
The bulk of Gou’s investments are in mainland China, employing more than one million workers. He has also been snapping up investments from Japan to India in a bid to diversify from electronics assembly.
Gou was born in 1950 in Taipei to parents who had fled the Communist victory in China’s civil war. He studied shipping management in college while supporting himself with part-time jobs.
