CHAN Wing-kwong

Professor the Hon CHAN Wing-kwong

Honorary University Fellow (2025)

Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong is an accomplished Chinese medicine practitioner, a Legislative Council Member of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) as well as a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient (2022) of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), whose lifelong dedication to advancing Chinese medicine, supporting institutional development in higher education, and serving society, has brought great distinction to his alma mater as well as transformative impact on society at large.

Born into a family of successive generations of Chinese medicine practitioners, Professor Chan carries forward an extraordinary legacy and entered the same profession himself. Through his decades of medical practice, he has not only cultivated profound experience and expertise but also a strong sense of Chinese cultural confidence. It was built upon the belief that Chinese medicine reflects both the cultural tradition and the wisdom of Chinese people and civilisation. For him, promoting Chinese medicine is more than a passion but an expression of his love towards the Chinese culture and the Motherland.

The connection between Professor Chan and HKBU has been close and long-standing. He received a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine from HKBU, before completing a Doctor of Medicine at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in the Mainland. When he first became a student of HKBU, he was already a practitioner with 15 years of clinical experience. Nevertheless, he stayed humble and pursued his study relentlessly. In his view, HKBU was the place where he was able to reinforce his medical knowledge and skills while embracing integrative approaches that bridge traditional and modern sciences. His university years shaped his vision for Chinese medicine as a dynamic discipline that is grounded in its ancient roots while evolving to meet the contemporary needs in society.

From Professor Chan’s perspective, HKBU's on-going success lies in its consistent and dedicated commitment to pursuing strategic goals and objectives — just as he has endeavoured to achieve in his own service to the University. He has helped foster HKBU’s strategic direction and development by serving as a Council Member of the University from 2016 to 2021, a member of the Council’s Human Resources Committee from 2016 to 2019 and the Committee’s Deputy Chairman from 2020 to 2021, and now as an Honorary Court Member since 2023.

His guidance has been particularly invaluable to HKBU’s School of Chinese Medicine and The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) operated by the University, where he currently serves as Chairman of the Advisory Committee and a member of the Board of Directors respectively. He firmly believes that the School and CMHHK together will become a global centre for research, teaching and clinical innovation, emphasising both the technical dimensions and the philosophical foundation of Chinese medicine.

Over the years, Professor Chan has established himself as a leader in the field of Chinese medicine and an advocate for its continuous advancement. He has held key positions in numerous organisations and bodies, including the President of Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association, as well as the Vice President of Supervision Board of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the School of Chinese Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and a Visiting Professor at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, where he has nurtured the younger generation. In addition, he played a pivotal role in establishing Hong Kong’s regulatory regime for Chinese medicine through his involvement as a member of The Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong, and as a member of the Chinese Medicine Development Committee of the Health Bureau and the Chairman of its Chinese Medicine Practice Subcommittee, enhancing the professional standards of Chinese medicine practice and thereby safeguarding public health.

He also contributed to Hong Kong’s successful bid to host the prestigious 18th World Congress of Chinese Medicine in 2021. In recognition of his efforts to the education, regulation and development of Chinese medicine, he was awarded the Chief Executive’s Commendation for Community Service by the HKSAR Government in 2019 and the Distinguished Alumni Award by HKBU in 2022, among many accolades.

In the public sector, Professor Chan has also offered his service with unwavering devotion. Since his election to the Legislative Council in 2022 under the Election Committee Constituency, he has worked tirelessly and extensively to enhance different critical areas of healthcare in Hong Kong. Notably, he is the Chairman of the Bills Committee on The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong Bill. Beyond his legislative duties, he has maintained active communication and interaction with community members, serving as a vital channel for citizens to express their views in the policy-making process. His remarkable efforts to bridge the Government and the public have made him both a well-respected legislator and a trusted community representative. Undoubtedly, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership and driven significant changes towards building a brighter future for Hong Kong.

The inspiration for Professor Chan’s illustrious career and life comes from a quotation in the classic Chinese book of Yijing: “Just as heaven keeps moving forward vigorously, a man of virtue should strive continuously to strengthen himself”. The never-ending pursuit for excellence and self-improvement forms the basis of his philosophy. He encourages everyone, especially young people, to constantly attempt to learn and perfect themselves in every aspect — not only in knowledge and wisdom, but also in character and moral integrity. Furthermore, he advises all Chinese medicine students to master the art of medicine while firmly upholding integrity and righteousness, for these qualities are the bedrock of true professionalism in the Chinese medical field.

It is with deep admiration and pleasure that HKBU confers upon Professor Chan an Honorary University Fellowship, the first in the field of Chinese medicine, in recognition of his significant contributions to the profession, his impressive leadership in both the educational and public arenas, and the progressive impact he has made for Hong Kong. He embodies the highest standards of professionalism and spirit of service that echo the core values and ideals of HKBU. In the years to come, he will remain a treasured member of the HKBU family and a role model for all.