The Chinese people in the North-East border: identity, homeland

Abstract

The North East frontier region of Vietnam has been a crucial geo-political area in the history of Vietnam, where many Chinese migrated and settled as their second homeland. Before the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, this area was the home of approximately 75% of people of Chinese ethnic origin in the North. However, people of Chinese ethnicity in the North in general and in the North-East frontier region in specific haven’t been researched much. This article examines the Chinese community by exploring the historical events of the North-East frontier region before and after the 1979 war. The main themes discussed are their history of migration, and the cultural features of Chinese ethnic origin in this region. The article contributes tothe existing argument that the bilateral relationship between two states has significantly impacted the continuing reproduction of cultural identity of the Chinese diaspora as well as their loyalty to China while they are constantly adapting to the local circumstance to construct their own identity and maintain their homeland relationship.