Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien paid a visit this morning  and presented gifts to the mother and her new-born baby to congratulate them on the special occasion. Ms. Doan said: "As we welcome our 90 millionth citizen, we are urged to think of better ways to take care of our future generations starting when they are embryos. We need to maintain an appropriate population growth rate and provide optimal healthcare for women and babies to ensure the physical and mental strength of our future citizens."

According to a forecast made following a general census conducted in 1989, Vietnam’s population was due to reach 90 million in 2002 and 105 million in 2010. Vietnam has reached 90 million 11 years later than forecast, thanks to efforts to reduce the birth rate. Head of the General Population Agency, Duong Quoc Trong, says Vietnam is the 14th most populous country in the world, the third most populous in Southeast Asia. Events taking place to celebrate this milestone will include a march themed “90 million footsteps by descendants of the Dragon and the Fairy” in Ho Chi Minh city, and a musical gala in Hanoi.