35 Facts About Terry Gou

Terry Gou is a Taiwanese billionaire businessman and politician.

In 2019, Terry Gou resigned from Foxconn and joined the Kuomintang to run for president, declaring he was instructed by the sea goddess Mazu in a dream to contest the election.

Terry Gou ultimately lost the election, coming in second in the Kuomintang primary.

Once described as an "old friend" by Xi Jinping, Terry Gou has been characterized as friendly to mainland business interests during his political and business career.

In December 2022, Terry Gou was credited with helping to successfully lobby the Xi Jinping Administration to ease zero-COVID rules implemented during the pandemic.

Terry Gou was born in Banqiao Township, Taipei County.

Terry Gou's parents lived in mainland China's Shanxi Province before the Chinese Civil War and fled to Taiwan in 1949.

Terry Gou's father was a policeman who fought on behalf of the Kuomintang during the war.

Terry Gou fulfilled his national service obligations by joining the Republic of China Air Force as an anti-aircraft artillery officer.

Terry Gou founded Foxconn, established as Hon Hai Precision Industry in Taiwan in 1974 with $7,500 in startup money and a workforce of ten elderly employees.

Terry Gou started off making plastic parts for television sets in a rented shed in Tucheng, a suburb of Taipei.

Terry Gou expanded his business in the 1980s by embarking on an 11-month trip across the US in search of customers.

An aggressive salesman, Terry Gou arrived uninvited at many companies' headquarters; often, he won orders despite security being called on him.

In 1988, Terry Gou opened his first factory in Shenzhen where his largest factory remains today.

Terry Gou scaled up production by integrating vertically the assembly process and facilities for workers.

In 2019, Terry Gou argued that Apple should move its manufacturing out of mainland China to Taiwan.

Terry Gou is the main owner of HMD Global, which is a company founded in 2016 to sell Nokia branded phones.

In December 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that a letter from Terry Gou helped convince the Chinese government to ease Zero-COVID restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Terry Gou first joined the Kuomintang in 1970, but allowed his membership to lapse after 2000.

Terry Gou's position is that Taiwan independence is not an issue.

In 2019, Terry Gou expressed misgivings about the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan, arguing that the Legislative Yuan did not respect the results of the 2018 referendum where a majority voted against legalization.

From 2016, it was widely reported that Terry Gou was considering a 2020 Taiwanese presidential bid, and speculation continued into 2017.

On 17 April 2019, Terry Gou announced his intention to run in the Kuomintang primary for the 2020 presidential election.

Terry Gou declared that he had been instructed by the sea goddess Mazu in a dream to run as a candidate in the 2020 presidential election of the Republic of China.

On 12 September 2019, Terry Gou announced his withdrawal from the Kuomintang.

Four days later, Terry Gou stated that he would not participate in the 2020 presidential election as an independent candidate.

Terry Gou was offered the top position on the Taiwan People's Party party list for the 2020 legislative election, but declined such a bid.

On 14 September 2023, Terry Gou announced as his running mate the actress and writer Lai Pei-hsia, known as Tammy Lai.

In 2007, Terry Gou cited Genghis Khan as a personal hero.

Terry Gou reportedly wears a beaded bracelet procured at a temple dedicated to the Genghis Khan, which he wears on his right wrist.

In 2012, a controversy arose after Terry Gou jokingly compared Foxconn's workforce to animals during a company event at the Taipei zoo.

In June 2012, Terry Gou stated that he had "great esteem for Japanese, especially those who are able to disagree with you in person and not stab you in the back, unlike the Gaoli bangzi".

Terry Gou founded an educational charity with Lin in 2000 and intended to eventually give away one third of his wealth to charity.

Also that year, Hsu Ching-wei accused Terry Gou of having an affair during the 1990s.

Terry Gou married his second wife, choreographer Delia Tseng was born on 1974 and on 26 July 2008.