TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foxconn founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) seems to call President Tsai Ing-wen a “spinster” in what is said to be a 10-year-old recording, just days after he declared his candidacy for Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election.
The clip was posted on social media by author Tsang Chia-I (臧家宜) on Thursday (Aug. 31), and appears to record Guo discussing business in China, while using the “derogatory” or “dated” term for a single woman to describe Tsai. Tseng said that given Gou’s oft-proclaimed love for the sea goddess Matsu (who he claimed told him to run for president in a dream), he should respect women more.
However, Nextapple News reported that Tsang was previously imprisoned for just under two years for attempting to blackmail Gou. The tycoon’s office responded to the recording by saying Tseng resented Gou because of the sentence, but she should not use old issues to make political attacks, a spokesperson said.
The spokesperson did not comment on the authenticity of the recording, or respond to questions asking if it was at all altered.
The clip was posted on Tsang’s Facebook page on Thursday.
The Presidential Office responded to news of the audio clip on Thursday, and spokesperson Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said she was surprised that such disrespectful remarks were still a part of modern society, per Now News. Lin said that Taiwan is a progressive country, and in addition to promoting gender equality, it must show respect in order to maintain the country’s image.
This is not the first time Gou has been accused of making sexist remarks. In 2019 he apologized to a legislative candidate for describing her as too preoccupied with marriage and children to work. He was also in hot water in the same year for responding to remarks made by his own wife with the line: “The harem should not meddle in politics”.
