Vietnam urged to exploit “golden population structure”

Hanoi, May 28 (VNA) - Vietnam is entering a “golden population structure” period, providing the country with a unique socio-economic development opportunity, heard an international conference in Ho Chi Minh City on May 27. Addressing the event, Le Bach Duong from the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) said with 40 percent of the population in the 15-24 age bracket, Vietnam should try to make optimal use of the abundant workforce through investment in health care, education and vocational training. He also cautioned that as the birth rate continues to fall while life expectance rises, Vietnam will soon enter the aging population period. According to the UNPF, the country should learn from the lessons of countries like China, Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand and shift its population policy from controlling birth rate to promoting productive health care and timely preventing abnormal changes in marriage and birth models. The conference was jointly held by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Communication and Education and the UNPF./