Abortions Not Forced, China President Says

Chinese President Li Xiannian today assailed U.S. moves to withhold funds to a U.N. population program, calling Washington’s allegation that China practices forced abortion and infanticide a “total fabrication.”

His remarks were made shortly before he flew from Peking today for a three-week tour of the United States and Canada--the first trip to North America by a Chinese head of state since the 1949 communist revolution.

In Washington, the House voted Wednesday to withhold all or part of the planned $51-million contribution to the U.N. Fund for Population Activities in a move it said was to pressure China to halt forced abortion and infanticide.

“It is total fabrication and distortion,” Li said of the U.S. allegations.

“The Chinese people are utterly indignant about the resolution. It is an interference in China’s internal affairs and is absolutely unacceptable,” Li told reporters. “I don’t know whether President Reagan is aware of that.”

China is extremely sensitive to criticism of its “one couple, one child” family planning policy, and the timing of the U.S. move could create a tense atmosphere for Li’s talks with Reagan in Washington on July 23.

Li, accompanied by his wife, Lin Jiamei, and an entourage of policy-makers, will spend 10 days in Canada, July 11-21, followed by a 10-day visit to the United States.

Peking-based Western diplomats said Li’s talks with Reagan will focus on the Soviet Union, Indochina and bilateral trouble spots, including Taiwan and Sino-American trade disputes.