BEIJING — China plans to build a major center at the national level focusing on the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in epidemic prevention and treatment, sources with the top economic planner said on March 29.

Sun Zhicheng, a senior official with the social development department of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a press conference that the center will be tasked with building the talent pool, formulating technical protocols for epidemic prevention and treatment, conducting TCM therapy research and stockpiling relevant medical supplies, among other functions.

The center is expected to ramp up the country's capacity of rapid response, prevention, control and treatment in the face of new or emerging infectious diseases and other major public health events by using TCM, Sun said.