Vietnam Has Far Bigger Worries Than Its Baby Bust
Vietnam rightly worries about the harm US tariffs will inflict on its success, and even more bullish aspirations. The levies will slow an economy that's racked up impressive rates of growth. The past few months have also revealed a challenge of a different nature: A declining birth rate.
This is a country, often hailed as a development model, that has a lot on its plate. It should avoid going overboard on sweating demographics. That's not an existential issue — yet. In some ways, the trend toward fewer births could even be called a victory. Trade, linked so intimately with the decades-old industrialization plan, is the more vital front. The setting of priorities is important, but they can travel on two tracks.
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