They also said women's groups, which have long condemned traditional family-planning programs as coercive and demeaning to women, had an unprecedented voice in the conference.

He can, and has, cut off aid to family-planning programs overseas.

China rejected American scrutiny of its family-planning programs today, saying it was a nation's sovereign right to determine its own population policy.

Much of the responsibility must be placed with the United States which has retreated from its leadership role in foreign aid for family-planning programs.

This year the Rockefeller Foundation is increasing its financial support for family-planning programs from $8 million to $13.5 million.

If it starts flowing in March, family-planning programs would receive $215 million between then and Sept. 30.

Despite the new attitude, however, foreign experts and accounts in China's official press say the family-planning program faces severe problems in meeting its short-term targets.

There is little sign of official family-planning programs in the villages, but mothers believe that smaller families will be more healthy and more prosperous.

And it will be spent on a far broader concept of population control than on traditional family-planning programs.

Nor would he sign legislation to allow the U.S. to contribute to other nations' family-planning programs.