Taichung Veterans General Hospital Team Visits Canada to Promote Medical Cooperation and Health Services for Overseas Taiwanese
An international medical team from Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TCVGH), led by Deputy Superintendent Chou Yuan-hua, visited Vancouver and Toronto, Canada. The visit aimed to introduce Taiwan's cutting-edge medical technology, particularly its Proton Therapy Center slated to open in August, and to promote telemedicine services to the local overseas Taiwanese community. The team engaged with the University of Toronto and McGill University, receiving high praise and interest in collaboration on their proton therapy technology. Furthermore, they signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the Toronto Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and the Vancouver chapter of the Global Federation of Chinese Business Women, establishing a 'green channel' for future services, demonstrating Taiwan's proactive efforts to contribute to the international community through its medical strength despite its exclusion from the WHA.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 18:19
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Despite Taiwan's exclusion from the World Health Assembly (WHA) once again due to pressure from China, the nation's medical sector continues its global outreach. An international medical team from Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TCVGH) visited Canada, where the University of Toronto and McGill University highly praised TCVGH's proton therapy technology and expressed interest in further collaboration with Taiwan.
A delegation from TCVGH, led by Deputy Superintendent Chou Yuan-hua, included Director of Radiation Oncology You Wei-chiang, Director of the Telemedicine Center Chen Yi-ju, Director of Electrophysiology at the Cardiovascular Center Lee Cheng-hung, Chief of the Department of Orthopedics Shih Cheng-min, Chief of the International Medical Service Center Hsu Kuan-yun, and Specialist of the International Medical Service Center Lo Shao-chun. They visited Toronto and Vancouver, two major cities on Canada's east and west coasts.
Chou Yuan-hua told CNA that the trip had two main purposes: to share Taiwan's medical technology with the Canadian medical community and to promote telemedicine services to the overseas Taiwanese community.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital launched its "Heavy Ion Therapy Center" for cancer treatment in 2023 and is set to establish a "Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Center," expected to begin serving patients in 2027, which will make it the only hospital in the world with both heavy ion and boron neutron capture therapies. TCVGH's "Proton Therapy Center" is scheduled to open in August of this year.
Chou stated that Canada is the only G7 country without proton therapy equipment, so this visit aimed to deepen Canada's understanding of Taiwan's proton medical technology. "Canada currently refers patients to the United States for proton therapy, so why not refer them to Taiwan? Taiwan has world-class medical quality, and the cost is much lower than in the U.S."
He mentioned that after exchanges with medical experts from the University of Toronto and McGill University last weekend, both institutions highly affirmed Taiwan's proton therapy and are open to exploring the feasibility of patient referrals and clinical research in the next steps.
To promote bilateral medical exchange and cooperation and to enhance healthcare services for the overseas Taiwanese community, the TCVGH international medical team signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the Toronto Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and the Vancouver chapter of the Global Federation of Chinese Business Women (GFCBW). They also held health seminars and will continue to support the health of the overseas community.
Tsao Wen-Chiung, president of the GFCBW's Vancouver chapter, was deeply moved by TCVGH's cross-border medical care. She told CNA: "TCVGH is the only hospital in Taiwan to be ranked among the world's top 100 smart hospitals, and it is at the forefront of applying telemedicine and artificial intelligence. The one-stop 'green channel' introduced by Deputy Superintendent Chou, which offers cross-ocean medical consultations and assists overseas Taiwanese in returning to Taiwan for medical care, is a true blessing."
Lih-sin Angel Liu, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, sees the TCVGH visit as a new model for Taiwan-Canada medical exchange. She said: "Since Taiwan and Canada signed a health cooperation MOU in May 2023, the two countries have engaged in numerous practical exchanges at both governmental and medical industry levels. This visit by TCVGH has been eye-opening for the Canadian medical community and overseas Taiwanese. I hope more of Canada and our international allies will recognize the high quality and impact of Taiwan's medical care and join in supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization and the World Health Assembly."
A delegation from TCVGH, led by Deputy Superintendent Chou Yuan-hua, included Director of Radiation Oncology You Wei-chiang, Director of the Telemedicine Center Chen Yi-ju, Director of Electrophysiology at the Cardiovascular Center Lee Cheng-hung, Chief of the Department of Orthopedics Shih Cheng-min, Chief of the International Medical Service Center Hsu Kuan-yun, and Specialist of the International Medical Service Center Lo Shao-chun. They visited Toronto and Vancouver, two major cities on Canada's east and west coasts.
Chou Yuan-hua told CNA that the trip had two main purposes: to share Taiwan's medical technology with the Canadian medical community and to promote telemedicine services to the overseas Taiwanese community.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital launched its "Heavy Ion Therapy Center" for cancer treatment in 2023 and is set to establish a "Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Center," expected to begin serving patients in 2027, which will make it the only hospital in the world with both heavy ion and boron neutron capture therapies. TCVGH's "Proton Therapy Center" is scheduled to open in August of this year.
Chou stated that Canada is the only G7 country without proton therapy equipment, so this visit aimed to deepen Canada's understanding of Taiwan's proton medical technology. "Canada currently refers patients to the United States for proton therapy, so why not refer them to Taiwan? Taiwan has world-class medical quality, and the cost is much lower than in the U.S."
He mentioned that after exchanges with medical experts from the University of Toronto and McGill University last weekend, both institutions highly affirmed Taiwan's proton therapy and are open to exploring the feasibility of patient referrals and clinical research in the next steps.
To promote bilateral medical exchange and cooperation and to enhance healthcare services for the overseas Taiwanese community, the TCVGH international medical team signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the Toronto Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and the Vancouver chapter of the Global Federation of Chinese Business Women (GFCBW). They also held health seminars and will continue to support the health of the overseas community.
Tsao Wen-Chiung, president of the GFCBW's Vancouver chapter, was deeply moved by TCVGH's cross-border medical care. She told CNA: "TCVGH is the only hospital in Taiwan to be ranked among the world's top 100 smart hospitals, and it is at the forefront of applying telemedicine and artificial intelligence. The one-stop 'green channel' introduced by Deputy Superintendent Chou, which offers cross-ocean medical consultations and assists overseas Taiwanese in returning to Taiwan for medical care, is a true blessing."
Lih-sin Angel Liu, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, sees the TCVGH visit as a new model for Taiwan-Canada medical exchange. She said: "Since Taiwan and Canada signed a health cooperation MOU in May 2023, the two countries have engaged in numerous practical exchanges at both governmental and medical industry levels. This visit by TCVGH has been eye-opening for the Canadian medical community and overseas Taiwanese. I hope more of Canada and our international allies will recognize the high quality and impact of Taiwan's medical care and join in supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization and the World Health Assembly."