Departing Foxconn chairman says sea goddess told him to run for Taiwan's presidency

Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou talks to reporters as he exits the White House following a second day of meetings in Washington, U.S., April 28, 2017.

Jim Bourg | Reuters

The chairman of Foxconn, a major Apple manufacturer, said Wednesday that a sea goddess has told him to run for Taiwan's presidency, according to multiple media reports.

Terry Gou, who chairs the company that assembles iPhones and more, was speaking at a temple devoted to the sea goddess Mazu, according to Reuters.

Gou had told Reuters on Monday that he planned to step down from his role in coming months. Speculation followed that he would make a bid for his country's presidency, with local media reporting that he would soon come to a decision about next year's race.

The election for Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China, is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2020.

Despite receiving a goddess' request on the matter, Gou told a group in New Taipei City that he had not yet formally declared his candidacy. Still, later that day, he made it official, announcing he would join the opposition Kuomintang party's primaries.

The Foxconn chair is Taiwan's richest person with a net worth of $7.6 billion according to Forbes.

—Reuters contributed to this report.