Terry Gou To Join KMT Presidential Primary

The boss of tech giant Foxconn on Wednesday declared formally that he will be running for president of Taiwan.

Terry Gou, who announced this week he was stepping back from frontline operations at the Apple supplier, said he would seek the nomination of the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party.

"I am willing to join the party's primary. If I win I will represent the KMT in the 2020 elections," he said at a KMT meeting in Taipei.

Guo also said he would "fully support" the party's candidate if he failed to secure the nomination.

Earlier on Wednesday while visiting a temple of local sea goddess Matsu in New Taipei city, the 69-year-old said the goddess "told me to step forward ... to help the people."

Gou is expected to face KMT heavyweights including former party chairman Eric Chu and former parliamentary speaker Wang Jin-pyng, who have announced their intentions to run for president.

Chu lost to incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen of the Beijing-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the 2016 presidential elections.

The DPP is set to announce its presidential candidate later this month. (AFP)