A Study on the “Vietnamese Woman” in International Marriages on China's Southwest Border

Abstract

With the policy of Reform and Opening and the rapid development of the socio-economic level, China has transformed from a migrant-sending country to an immigrant-receiving country. In recent years, intermarriages between men living on the southwestern border of China and women from Vietnam have increased. The increase of emigrating female workers from rural to urban areas, the ever-increasing bride prices and the expansion of the marriage circle in rural societies have increased the imbalance of gender ratio in the border areas of China. Vietnamese women get married with Chinese men through illegal means in southwestern China and then settle in China, because of factors such as similar cultural traditions and living habits, hopes for better living conditions, and economic interests. These intermarriages sometimes lead to negative effects in China's southwestern border. This article is based on the investigation and evaluation of researches that are from Chinese academic community on Vietnamese women in transnational marriages on the southwestern border of China. It aims to explain the social background of these international marriages, explore the influence of these transnational marriages on the social governance in border areas. It also aims to establish a good transnational marriage mechanism, discuss the problems caused by such transnational marriages, and try to put forward some targeted suggestions and measures from the perspective of social management.