"An estimated 2 million Vietnamese [who] are now living the United States, France, Canada, and other countries [sending money to their families in Vietnam]," according to William Alpert (155). Based on the data that I find from World Bank, remittances are steadily increased from 2000 to 2008. This inflowing cash has allowed millions of Vietnamese to consume more nutrition in daily diet and move away from poverty. However, Vietnam government still has a lot of work to do to eliminate poverty. Based on the new poverty line that post on World Bank, Vietnam is VN 653,000/person/month or $2.25/person/day, which is significantly lower than the U.S. $11,490/person/year or $31.49/person/day standard, but higher than among of other countries in the region. .
Furthermore, life expectancy is another important indicator that shows the changes in Vietnam. According to the data from World Bank through the years from 1989 to 2004, people tend to live four years longer in Vietnam. People's daily has examined the cause of such great leap. It is attributed to the improvements of country's healthcare system; more medical professional workers are available throughout the country, citizens gain easier access to doctors. The increasing numbers of vaccinations have been provided to against common diseases.
(PART B) Beside the benefits of the economic reforms, including reduction in poverty and extension of life expectancy, Vietnam has associated with some difficulties. Major concerns of not only Vietnam, but also other Southeast Asian countries were the inequality of wealth distribution as well as corruption. According to World Development Indicators, Vietnam's poverty ratio has decreased in recent years: from 57.1 % in 1993, 37.3 % in 1998, 28.8 % in 2002 and 19.5 % in 2004. Though the country was moving towards its goal of becoming an industrialized nation, the income inequality gap continued to enlarge.
