National Consciousness Reflected through Border Awareness of Some Ethnic Groups in the Border Area of Vi Xuyen District, Ha Giang Province

Abstract

The Vietnam-China border area is inhabited by many ethnic groups and plays a critical role in protecting national sovereignty. Nevertheless, there have not been many in-depth studies on the national consciousness of the people in the locality. Based on the research results in 2021, the article contributes to clarifying national consciousness expressed through the border awareness of the Hmong, Tay, and Nung ethnic groups in the two border communes of Lao Chai and Thanh Thuy, Vi Xuyen district, Ha Giang province. Following the 1979 northern border war launched by China, the central and local propaganda, and the impacts from across the border, the awareness of ethnic groups of national borders, borderlines and milestones have been increasingly consolidated and become conscious. The level of awareness has also been further improved. Research results show that most people prefer to live in their current homeland in Vietnam, ready to follow in the footsteps of their forefathers to participate in the construction and protection of the national borders and landmarks.