The Central Party Office recently released a statement conveying the Politburo’s directives following a review of Resolution 21 (2017) on population policies and an assessment of existing party and government regulations related to family planning.

The Politburo has approved the continuation of Resolution 21, with revisions to better reflect current demographic challenges. The party committee of the government has been tasked with working alongside the Ministry of Health to incorporate Politburo recommendations before finalizing the updated resolution.

Additionally, the National Assembly party committee and government party committee have been instructed to accelerate the drafting of the Population Law, ensuring its passage in 2025, in line with the 13th National Party Congress agenda.

In the short term, the Politburo has called for an urgent review of legal documents specifying family size restrictions, mandating completion of revisions by the first quarter of 2025.

New national population program and legal reforms

The Politburo has approved the development of a National Target Program on Population and Development (2026–2035), aimed at comprehensive demographic management. The government party committee has been directed to draft this program and submit it to the National Assembly by the third quarter of 2025.

One of the most notable changes involves repealing disciplinary actions for party members who have a third child or more. The Central Inspection Commission has been instructed to amend existing party rules, including Guideline No. 05/2022, to remove penalties for exceeding the two-child limit. However, the new policy will not be applied retroactively, meaning past disciplinary actions will remain in effect.

Additionally, the government party committee and the Central Public Security party committee have been tasked with integrating and expanding the national population database. This initiative, built upon the National Citizen Database, aims to provide accurate, real-time population statistics, enabling better policy planning and implementation.

Vietnam’s population policies have long been shaped by efforts to control birth rates. However, as demographic challenges evolve, the government is now focusing on balancing population growth, quality of life, and economic sustainability.

The latest directive from the Politburo signals a shift toward more flexible and adaptive policies that align with current and future socio-economic needs.

Thu Hang