AFP wire carried by France24; frames the policy as part of a Southeast Asian demographic inflection point

AFP traces the history: Vietnam's preference for two-child families dates to the 1960s, when communist authorities sought to curb population growth during the war, with an official limit adopted in 1988. Vietnam lifted the formal limit a year ago; the July 1 law adds positive incentives. The new measures add one month of maternity leave for mothers having a second child (six to seven months total), free prenatal screenings and a small cash bonus. AFP notes Vietnam's birth rate of 1.93 is robust compared to most developed nations but that the over-60 cohort will reach 25% of the population by mid-century.

“Vietnam's birth rate of 1.93 is below the 2.1 replacement level; the over-60 share will reach 25% by mid-century.”