Abstract

Ethnic relations along the Vietnam–China border have long been formed and maintained through shared ethnicity, kinship, marriage, economic exchange, and cultural and social interaction. State boundary demarcation, management, and policies have gradually changed how these relationships operate. In 2020, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of its “zero-COVID” policy, the Chinese government constructed a fortified fence along the Vietnam–China border. This directly affected local communities’ livelihoods, mobility, trade, employment, family visits, marriages, and cultural exchanges, thereby transforming relations among ethnic groups living on both sides of the border. Drawing on fieldwork conducted in Ha Giang Province in 2024, this article examines changes in cross-border ethnic relations and community life resulting from the border fence. It subsequently analyzes local adaptation strategies and proposes measures to strengthen the adaptive capacity of ethnic communities in the new context.

Keywords: Adaptation, border areas, border fence, China, ethnic communities, Vietnam.