(Bandar Seri Begawan, 15th) In order to promote Taiwan-Brunei medical and health exchanges and enhance public health awareness, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Brunei, the Brunei Taiwan Business Association, and the Brunei Alumni Association jointly held a health seminar entitled “Travel for Health to Taiwan” on the evening of June 13, 2026. The event invited a medical team from the China Medical University Hospital to Brunei to share knowledge on health management and wellness, attracting over a hundred attendees and sparking vibrant interaction on site.
This seminar featured Dr. Hung Yu-Chuan from the Department of Nephrology at China Medical University Hospital, who gave a talk on “Guarding the Body's Filter: The Way to Kidney Health,” and Dr. Ho Cheng-Yu from the Department of Chinese Acupuncture, who spoke on “Regaining Freedom of Muscles and Bones: TCM Wisdom to Keep Aches and Pains Away.” The two lectures approached health management and disease prevention from the perspectives of Western preventive medicine and traditional Chinese wellness.
Dr. Hung pointed out that the kidneys are important yet easily overlooked organs. Since early kidney dysfunction usually lacks obvious symptoms, kidneys are known as “silent organs,” and many patients discover problems only in the later stages of disease. He emphasized that the key to maintaining kidney health is early prevention, and controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood fat are essential for protecting kidney function.
Dr. Hung stated that protecting the kidneys does not require expensive or complicated methods. The most important step is to start with daily life: reduce sugar, fat, and salt intake, maintain regular routines, and adopt healthy eating habits. These simple lifestyle adjustments are often the most effective and practical ways to prevent chronic kidney disease and help reduce the future risk of dialysis and related chronic illnesses.
Dr. Ho, from the holistic viewpoint of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), introduced the TCM health philosophy emphasizing the balance between qi, blood, organs, and the natural environment. He explained how the concept of “treating illness before it occurs” can achieve disease prevention and delayed degeneration through wellness practices, lifestyle adjustments, and early interventions.
Addressing common modern issues such as shoulder and neck soreness, chronic lower back pain, morning stiffness, and knee discomfort, Dr. Ho explained that pain is not only a warning signal from the body but may also reflect poor circulation of qi and blood or musculoskeletal imbalances. According to the TCM theory “pain comes from blockage or lack of nourishment,” when the circulation of qi and blood is impeded, pain and loss of function may occur; conversely, smooth circulation helps maintain musculoskeletal health and physical function.
Dr. Ho used the analogy “health is a long-term investment” to encourage the public to accumulate health capital through regular exercise, good routines, and correct wellness concepts, starting from everyday life to build better quality of life and physical and mental states for the future.
In addition to topic presentations, the on-site Q&A and exchanges were enthusiastic. Attendees actively asked questions about kidney care, chronic disease prevention, TCM wellness, and daily health management. Dr. Ho demonstrated easy acupoint massages and home stretching rehab exercises, leading all attendees to move and stretch together. This transformed an originally static seminar into a practical wellness classroom.
Through hands-on experience, participants not only gained deeper understanding of TCM wellness and preventive health concepts, but also learned that health management should start with daily living. Attendees eagerly followed the presenter’s demonstrations, applying pressure to acupoints and stretching limbs, creating a lively, relaxed atmosphere that combined fun with practical health knowledge.
At the opening, Vincent Hsiao, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Brunei, stated that health management starts with personal action, and every attendee had already taken an important step for their health that evening, encouraging them to give themselves a round of applause. He also thanked China Medical University Hospital, the Taiwan Business Association, and the Taiwan Alumni Association for jointly making this event possible.
Representative Hsiao noted that China Medical University Hospital has long participated in the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “New Southbound Health Cooperation and Industry Development Project,” continuously sharing Taiwan’s experience in medical care, public health, and health promotion with regional partners, and demonstrating Taiwan’s medical expertise and humanistic spirit.
Representative Hsiao shared that last year, at a health seminar at the same venue, he publicly expressed hope for more convenient exchanges between Taiwan and Brunei. He is pleased that on June 23, 2025, mutual visa exemption was achieved between the two sides, bringing the peoples of both regions closer together.
He further encouraged Bruneians to take advantage of Taiwan’s strengths in healthcare and tourism, and to integrate travel with health management for deeper understanding of Taiwan.
He added that the Representative Office and the Taiwan Business Association have held several events this year, including the “Rose Twilight Life Education Concert,” the “Bet of the Century by Mountain Builders” documentary screening, and cross-cultural calligraphy exchanges, all aiming to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Taiwan and Brunei through concrete exchanges, and will continue to showcase Taiwan’s diversity in the future.
Since 2022, China Medical University Hospital has been implementing the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “New Southbound Health Cooperation and Industry Development Project,” with cooperation extending to Malaysia and Brunei. In addition to holding this health seminar, the visiting team also accepted interviews from Brunei Radio and Television, expanding Bruneians’ understanding of Taiwan’s medical capabilities and opening up more possibilities for Taiwan-Brunei medical and health cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
This seminar featured Dr. Hung Yu-Chuan from the Department of Nephrology at China Medical University Hospital, who gave a talk on “Guarding the Body's Filter: The Way to Kidney Health,” and Dr. Ho Cheng-Yu from the Department of Chinese Acupuncture, who spoke on “Regaining Freedom of Muscles and Bones: TCM Wisdom to Keep Aches and Pains Away.” The two lectures approached health management and disease prevention from the perspectives of Western preventive medicine and traditional Chinese wellness.
Dr. Hung stated that protecting the kidneys does not require expensive or complicated methods. The most important step is to start with daily life: reduce sugar, fat, and salt intake, maintain regular routines, and adopt healthy eating habits. These simple lifestyle adjustments are often the most effective and practical ways to prevent chronic kidney disease and help reduce the future risk of dialysis and related chronic illnesses.
Dr. Ho, from the holistic viewpoint of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), introduced the TCM health philosophy emphasizing the balance between qi, blood, organs, and the natural environment. He explained how the concept of “treating illness before it occurs” can achieve disease prevention and delayed degeneration through wellness practices, lifestyle adjustments, and early interventions.
Addressing common modern issues such as shoulder and neck soreness, chronic lower back pain, morning stiffness, and knee discomfort, Dr. Ho explained that pain is not only a warning signal from the body but may also reflect poor circulation of qi and blood or musculoskeletal imbalances. According to the TCM theory “pain comes from blockage or lack of nourishment,” when the circulation of qi and blood is impeded, pain and loss of function may occur; conversely, smooth circulation helps maintain musculoskeletal health and physical function.
Dr. Ho used the analogy “health is a long-term investment” to encourage the public to accumulate health capital through regular exercise, good routines, and correct wellness concepts, starting from everyday life to build better quality of life and physical and mental states for the future.
In addition to topic presentations, the on-site Q&A and exchanges were enthusiastic. Attendees actively asked questions about kidney care, chronic disease prevention, TCM wellness, and daily health management. Dr. Ho demonstrated easy acupoint massages and home stretching rehab exercises, leading all attendees to move and stretch together. This transformed an originally static seminar into a practical wellness classroom.
Through hands-on experience, participants not only gained deeper understanding of TCM wellness and preventive health concepts, but also learned that health management should start with daily living. Attendees eagerly followed the presenter’s demonstrations, applying pressure to acupoints and stretching limbs, creating a lively, relaxed atmosphere that combined fun with practical health knowledge.
At the opening, Vincent Hsiao, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Brunei, stated that health management starts with personal action, and every attendee had already taken an important step for their health that evening, encouraging them to give themselves a round of applause. He also thanked China Medical University Hospital, the Taiwan Business Association, and the Taiwan Alumni Association for jointly making this event possible.
Representative Hsiao noted that China Medical University Hospital has long participated in the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “New Southbound Health Cooperation and Industry Development Project,” continuously sharing Taiwan’s experience in medical care, public health, and health promotion with regional partners, and demonstrating Taiwan’s medical expertise and humanistic spirit.
Representative Hsiao shared that last year, at a health seminar at the same venue, he publicly expressed hope for more convenient exchanges between Taiwan and Brunei. He is pleased that on June 23, 2025, mutual visa exemption was achieved between the two sides, bringing the peoples of both regions closer together.
He further encouraged Bruneians to take advantage of Taiwan’s strengths in healthcare and tourism, and to integrate travel with health management for deeper understanding of Taiwan.
He added that the Representative Office and the Taiwan Business Association have held several events this year, including the “Rose Twilight Life Education Concert,” the “Bet of the Century by Mountain Builders” documentary screening, and cross-cultural calligraphy exchanges, all aiming to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Taiwan and Brunei through concrete exchanges, and will continue to showcase Taiwan’s diversity in the future.
Since 2022, China Medical University Hospital has been implementing the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “New Southbound Health Cooperation and Industry Development Project,” with cooperation extending to Malaysia and Brunei. In addition to holding this health seminar, the visiting team also accepted interviews from Brunei Radio and Television, expanding Bruneians’ understanding of Taiwan’s medical capabilities and opening up more possibilities for Taiwan-Brunei medical and health cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.