(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam's population reaching 100 million people is significant in the context of global economic competition. Every country considers human resources the most important tool to improve national competitiveness.
 Vietnam's population reaches a milestone of 100 million people. (photo: Quang Vinh) |
Vietnam has become one of 15 countries in the world and one of three Southeast Asian countries (after Indonesia and the Philuippines) that has a population over 100 million.
Important milestone
The General Statistics Office says Vietnam’s population increased from about 25 million people in the early 1950s to 50 million people in the 1970s. Now it has surpassed 100 million. From 1950 it took 20 years for Vietnam’s population to double, but it took 50 years for the population to double again.
 Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Chief Representative in Vietnam |
Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Chief Representative in Vietnam, said: "Vietnam will be the 15th most populous country in the world. That is the key milestone for Vietnam. This is a story of Vietnam, which was once a war-torn country, has successfully taken a substantial number of population out of poverty and ensured its impressive economic growth. It's a very good story to tell in the world."
Professor Dr. Hoang Van Cuong, a member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Finance and Budget, said that having 100 million people gives Vietnam two great advantages. First, the population of Vietnam is growing and is not at risk of shrinking as in many other countries. This will slow down the population aging process and prolong the golden population period. Second, the growing population will provide labor resources for society.
Golden opportunities and challenges
Vietnam currently enjoys a golden population structure, with nearly 70% of the population neither too young nor too old to work. Such an opportunity to develop its socio-economy usually occurs only once in a country’s development history.
Vietnam's golden population period – a period of high labor productivity – should continue until 2039. Exploiting this advantage will boost economic growth. Ms. Kitahara said: "There will be a lot of opportunities. 100 million people means that is a sizable domestic market and opportunities to attract direct investment. 100 million people means 100 million dreams, 100 million hopes, and 100 million possibilities."
The opportunities created by having a population of 100 million people are undeniable, but it brings the challenge of raising the quality of the population by ensuring education and health services, and guaranteeing human rights.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told the Summit on the 4th Industrial Revolution in December, 2021, in Hanoi: “An important task is to improve the material and cultural life of the people. We have to keep a 100 million people happy, healthy, and democratic. Those are human rights which can only be realized by maximizing the human factor, and taking people as the center, the subject, the goal, and the driving force for development.”
In the global economic competition, countries consider human resources the most important tool to improve national competitiveness. Having a population of 100 million people is a source of pride and an opportunity to boost national development. The challenge is to take advantage of this opportunity to fulfill the national development goals set by the 13th National Party Congress.