Terry Gou Rolls Out Tour of Appreciation and Thanksgiving, While Wang Jin-pyng Is Still Courting James Soong

 Terry Gou Rolls Out Tour of Appreciation and Thanksgiving, While Wang Jin-pyng Is Still Courting James Soong

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

September 25, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

Taiwan’s super rich Terry Gou, harboring idealism of reform, hoped to contribute his own efforts and experiences to feed back the country and society after his own successful career. However, the chaotic game of politics was after all something unfamiliar to an entrepreneur. After undergoing defeat in the KMT’s presidential primary, Terry Gou decided to withdraw from the presidential race. This weekend, he will roll out a "tour of appreciation and thanksgiving" throughout Taiwan, extending gratitude to his supporters.

Apropos to this is former legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng. His latest expectation is pinning on the People First Party (PFP), hoping to talk about cooperation with James Soong, PFP Chairman, in an attempt to push for the 2020 presidential race. The PFP has confirmed that Wang Jin-pyng has sent somebody for contact. Whether the expectation of Wang Jin-pyng’s "courting James Soong" would eventually evaporate in the same manner as the "tripartite alliance in Taoyuan", it in fact is difficult to be optimistic.

With regard to Terry Gou's success in business management, it has been obvious to all; if he could shift his resources and strength to the private sector, whether in establishing a think tank, or a more action-oriented social organization, or even pushing different genres of NGOs to strengthen Taiwan’s linkages with the world, then with Terry Gou’s vista and resoluteness, his contributions would be far greater than serving in a particular high post of government. During his tour of appreciation and thanksgiving, Terry Gou will perhaps discover far more projects that needed to be pushed in Taiwan’s society, and would find far more space in which he could dedicate himself. The importance of those projects will definitely not be inferior to the high office of president he was seeking.

As far as Wang Jin-pyng is concerned, his prospects are not necessarily so wide. After all, he has been loyal to what ideals, attempting to realize what kind of values has always been, from the beginning to end, a myth that has no answer. Terry Gou has rolled out his tour of appreciation and thanksgiving, while Wang Jin-pyng is still courting James Soong; the duo are now embarking on different paths from here on. Serving the society is not necessarily limited to the path of politics; looking back two or three years from now, let’s judge who made greater contributions to Taiwan.

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