The High-Level Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture Development, part of the World Cultural Forum, opened in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, on Thursday.

In a congratulation letter, Vice-Premier Li Keqiang called for integration of TCM and Western medicine.

TCM, as a time-honored treasure of Chinese civilization, has contributed to the prosperity of China and brought impacts to world civilization, Li said.

He also urged medical workers to combine the merits of TCM with contemporary medicine to better facilitate the ongoing healthcare reform in China.

The two-day conference has attracted more than 300 participants at home and abroad including two Nobel laureates and TCM masters.

Michael O'Leary, the World Health Organization's representative in China, said that TCM and Western medicine were complementary.

"They have different rules and can support each other," he told China Daily on the sidelines of the conference.

"Many of the things of TCM are oriented to keeping people healthy and that's key also to a healthy society," he said.

Regarding barriers for TCM to go global, he said the key issue was to ensure the quality and standardization.

He also said that the WHO attached great importance to traditional medicine and would do its best to help with the development of TCM.