Vietnam is grappling with a sharp decline in its birth rate, with the national fertility rate dropping to 1.9 children per woman in a country of more than 100 million inhabitants. The demographic shift has prompted the government to dismantle decades of strict family planning restrictions in an urgent bid to avert a looming labor shortage and an aging population.
For more than 40 years, the government enforced a two-child policy that served as the societal norm across the Southeast Asian nation. That restriction was officially lifted in June 2025 as demographic data signaled a rapid departure from traditional family sizes. Officials who once focused heavily on population control now find themselves running campaigns to convince citizens to have more children.
The Legacy of the Two-Child Policy
Executing a Total Strategic Pivot
In response to these emerging trends, policymakers have executed a total pivot in national strategy. The policy shift reflects deep concern within government ministries over how a contracting workforce will sustain future economic growth.
Urban Costs and Manufacturing Vulnerabilities
Upcoming Administrative Guidelines and Planning Sessions
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