[National meeting on birth control techniques ends]

210 million contraceptive operations, which include vasoligation, tubal ligation, and implanting of IUDs, were carried out in China in the 9 years from 1971-1979, according to sources from a national working conference on birth control techniques which closed here yesterday. The conference was called to help implement China's birth control policy with stress on the rural areas. The goal is to limit the country's population to 1200 million by the turn of the century. The Ministry of Public Health has issued regulations on dispensing of the various methods of contraception, the conference said. Health workers are instructed to popularize all methods and increase their proficiency. At the conference, proposals were raised on how to spread knowledge of birth control, promote research, production and supply of contraceptive drugs and devices and introduce safe and simple methods and highly-efficient contraceptive pills. At present, a network of technical guidance teams, stations, research institutions, and operation service groups have been set up in all provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country. Great efforts are being made to train technically proficient medical workers in all counties, the conference said.