Vietnam

'Hỗ trợ quá thấp khó khuyến khích phụ nữ sinh con'

VN Express | Local Language | News | Nov. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedDemographics

On November 10, Prof. Nguyen Thien Nhan addressed the National Assembly regarding the draft Population Law, highlighting Vietnam’s looming demographic challenges, including population aging and decline. He compared Vietnam’s situation to Japan’s prolonged population aging issue, which has hindered Japan's GDP growth, and warned that Vietnam’s fertility rates are forecasted to drop below replacement levels—1.63 by 2050 and 1.38 by 2100. Vietnam’s labor force is expected to grow only until 2035 before declining, which will shift the country’s main economic driver from labor quantity to productivity, posing a significant risk to future development.

Prof. Nhan noted that while Vietnam still has a decade to leverage both labor force growth and productivity improvements, stronger policies are needed now to maintain a sustainable fertility rate beyond 2035. He critiqued the draft Population Law’s support measures—for example, financial incentives totaling up to about 13 million dong per childbirth—as insufficient. This amount represents only about 1–1.5% of the estimated 900 million dong required to raise a child to adulthood, and is inadequate to encourage families to have more children.

He proposed a shift in the State's wage and population policy approach to ensure a living wage that can support one child per worker, mandating that employers provide such income levels over a 5 to 10-year implementation period. This would align economic growth with population sustainability rather than sacrificing fertility rates for short-term growth.

Health Minister Dao Hong Lan responded by emphasizing the draft law’s shift from "population and family planning" to "population and development," addressing population size, structure, and quality in relation to socio-economic development. She acknowledged the high costs of raising fertility rates and addressing aging populations, referencing international examples like Japan and South Korea. The Ministry of Health is reviewing Prof. Nhan’s suggestions and is aware that tackling these demographic issues will require comprehensive and resource-intensive solutions.

Vietnam News | English | News | Nov. 12, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Thailand has suspended a recently signed peace deal with Cambodia following an incident where four Thai soldiers were injured by a landmine on the border, with one losing a foot. Thai authorities allege the mine was freshly laid, indicating hostile actions by Cambodia. The peace agreement was reached just over two weeks ago in Malaysia after a military flare-up related to a longstanding colonial-era border dispute. US President Donald Trump claimed credit for brokering the deal and was present during the signing.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the suspension of the peace deal and its implementation steps, citing ongoing security threats and hostility. Thailand has sent a formal protest to Cambodia and halted plans to repatriate 18 captured Cambodian soldiers, an action that was part of the peace process. Defense Minister Nattapon Narkphanit emphasized that Cambodia violated the spirit of the recent declaration by allegedly laying the mine.

Trump has taken credit for ending eight conflicts since starting his second term, including the Cambodia-Thailand dispute, though some claims have been disputed by involved nations or experts. Despite controversies over the legitimacy of some ceasefires and peace efforts, Trump has asserted that his work merits the Nobel Peace Prize.

'Phát triển tốt nhà xã hội là điểm cộng để địa phương thu hút đầu tư'

VN Express | Local Language | News | Nov. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedReal Estate

The Central Executive Committee's draft Political Report aims to accelerate social housing and low-cost commercial housing development to meet the needs of urban residents, industrial workers, and disadvantaged groups. Delegate Nguyễn Hoàng Bảo Trân highlighted social housing as a foundation for equity and social stability. Despite significant investment, with over 132,600 social housing units built in the first nine months of 2025, supply remains insufficient in major urban centers where commercial housing prices are prohibitively high.

Challenges in developing social housing include land allocation bottlenecks, slow investment procedures, and limited financial mechanisms. Current regulations, such as reserving 20% of land in commercial projects for social housing, lack effective enforcement. Proposals to overcome these difficulties include proactive state land clearance, preferential land leasing, and infrastructure investment to reduce construction costs. Delegate Hà Sỹ Đồng suggested fast-tracking project approvals and allowing provincial authorities to appoint investors directly to speed up development.

Bac Ninh province's experience shows success through early land reservation and establishing dedicated task forces to expedite social housing projects, alongside implementing a "Green Lane" administrative process that cuts procedure times by up to 60%. Despite these efforts, preferential capital access for social housing remains limited and complicated. Suggestions include more flexible profit margins, mobilizing housing funds, and embracing public-private partnerships. Hà Sỹ Đồng also recommended creating a National Social Housing Development Fund to support financing.

Addressing the perception that social housing is only for the poor, delegates emphasized its role in supporting the young workforce, civil servants, and middle-income earners critical to economic growth. Stable worker housing is seen as essential for attracting and retaining investment, particularly from FDI enterprises, by ensuring labor availability. Expanding diverse housing options like long-term rentals and rent-to-own models, while simplifying policy access and loans, was advocated.

Finally, Delegate Trần Văn Tuấn proposed that the draft document include long-term strategies to develop a healthy real estate market and curtail land hoarding that exacerbates housing scarcity. He recommended extending responsibility for social and low-cost housing development beyond 2030 to 2035, with clear assignment of duties to localities.