KUALA LUMPUR: RENN Asia Wellness has partnered China-based Jian Shi Tang (JST) to operate a wellness centre in Guangzhou, in a cross-border initiative in nutritional and functional medicine-based chronic disease management.
The centre, located at Leatop Plaza in Guangzhou’s Tianhe district, will adopt RENN Asia’s Malaysian-developed Nutritional and Functional Medicine (NFM) clinical framework.
The collaboration agreement was signed last Friday between RENN Asia founder and chief executive Jonathan Chew and JST founder Zhang Chu Guang.
Under the agreement, RENN Asia will provide clinical expertise, programme design and operational protocols, with the centre initially focusing on diabetes management.
Malaysian practitioners will also be involved as advisers during the launch phase.
China faces one of the world’s largest diabetes burdens, with estimates placing the affected adult population at more than 140 million adults.
Rising complications and healthcare costs have driven interest in preventive and functional medicine approaches that extend beyond conventional symptom management.
While China has expanded its healthcare system, gaps remain in integrated preventive care models that combine nutrition, lifestyle intervention, personalised diagnostics and long-term monitoring.
The Malaysian-developed NFM framework is positioned as a complementary approach within this setting.
Chew said the collaboration reflects Malaysia’s potential to contribute practical healthcare models to regional markets.
“Bringing a Malaysian-refined NFM framework into China shows that we can be a provider of practical healthcare solutions to other nations,” he said in a statement.
He added that RENN Asia’s role would be to support JST in building a sustainable system for community health outcomes.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prof Datuk Seri Steve Yap, president of the Association of Nutritional and Functional Medicine Practitioners Malaysia, alongside representatives from the Guangzhou medical fraternity and the Malaysian community there.
Yap said the adoption of a Malaysian-developed framework by China was a notable milestone.
“One of the world’s largest healthcare markets is now adopting a homegrown Malaysian NFM framework.
“This is significant as it shows Malaysians could export its know-how and solutions to benefit other countries,” he noted.
From JST’s perspective, the partnership supports its move towards more personalised chronic disease management.
JST lead medical practitioner Dr Dai Qi Ming said the framework aligns with the future direction of healthcare in China.
“Starting with diabetes, we aim to demonstrate measurable improvements in client health and quality of life,” he said.
Both parties plan to expand the collaboration to other chronic conditions, including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, subject to outcomes from the initial phase.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
