Vietnam has officially abolished its long-standing two-child policy in a bid to counter declining birth rates and a shrinking workforce.
On Tuesday, Vietnamese lawmakers approved amendments to the Population Law, granting families the freedom to decide how many children to have.
Originally introduced in 2009 to curb overpopulation, the policy limited families to one or two children. Although enforcement was lenient for the general public, it remained strictly applied to government employees and members of the ruling Communist Party.
According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam’s population currently stands at just over 100 million, with a median age of 33.4 and around 70% of citizens in the working-age group (15–64). However, the national fertility rate fell to 1.91 children per woman in 2024 — the lowest in the country’s modern history and below the replacement threshold.
From 1999 to 2022, Vietnam’s fertility rate remained stable around the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. However, in the past two years, it has dropped sharply, from 1.96 in 2023 to 1.91 in 2024 - the lowest level in the country’s history.
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on...
At a time when geopolitical tensions continue to ripple across multiple regions, from Ukraine to the Middle East, ...
Iran warned Armerican forces on Monday (4 May) not to enter the Strait of Hormuz, after the U.S. said it...
Austria has expelled three diplomats from the Russian Embassy over concerns that satellite installations on diplomatic buildings could be used for ...
Recent developments across the Middle East show political messaging is moving beyond traditional channels, with public art and AI-generated content...
The European Broadcasting Union and global entertainment company Voxovation have announced that the first-ever Eurovision Song Contest Asia will take place in 2026, with Bangkok selected to host the inaugural edition.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to cancel 23 flights per week across several domestic routes from April because of looming jet fuel shortages, Vietnam's aviation authority said.
Tens of millions of Vietnamese were voting on Sunday (15 March) to elect members of parliament from a list of candidates almost exclusively fielded by the Communist Party, ensuring the party's continued overwhelming dominance.
Brussels and Hanoi are set to sign a historic diplomatic upgrade. The partnership focuses on de-risking supply chains, tapping critical minerals, and expanding semiconductor capacity.
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on a pedestrianised street in the the eastern German city of Leipzig, authorities said.
Iran warned Armerican forces on Monday (4 May) not to enter the Strait of Hormuz, after the U.S. said it had launched a mission to try and reopen the sea passage. Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister said there was no military solution to the Middle East conflict.
China has moved to block U.S. sanctions on five of its oil refineries, in a fresh escalation of tensions over trade and energy policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will “soon be reviewing” a new 14-point proposal sent by Iran, casting doubt on the chances of a deal after Tehran called for security guarantees, an end to naval blockades and a halt to the war across the region, including in Lebanon.
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
What is hantavirus? Three people have died and three are still ill on a Netherlands-based cruise ship after it was hit by a suspected outbreak of the deadly virus, according to authorities on Sunday.
Medics are working to evacuate two people with symptoms of the deadly respiratory illness, hantavirus, from a luxury cruise ship being held off West Africa, after three people died and several others fell ill, officials have said.
Jars of baby food deliberately tampered with rat poison and discovered in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia were part of an attempted extortion plot targeting manufacturer HiPP, German police said on Monday.
More than half of Haiti’s population is facing acute food insecurity, prompting the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to warn that recent progress in tackling hunger remains fragile and could quickly be reversed without urgent support.
A Chinese biotechnology company is stepping up efforts to combine artificial intelligence (AI) with advanced genetic testing in a bid to improve the success rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF), while also tapping into growing demand for fertility services.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment