This paper delves into how the inherent networks that divert and transfer across the state border among Vietnamese migrants in Hekou, a border city on the China-Vietnam border, with a specific focus on the boundaries that reshape the social networks within the Vietnamese community on a foreign land. Through a comprehensive analysis of the effects of state, ethnic, gender, and kinship boundaries, this paper reveals the intricate and diverse social dynamics of the Vietnam Street, a Vietnamese specialty market in Hekou. Despite the new conditions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the social relationships and principles embedded within the Vietnam Street remain a powerful force in shaping the behavior of its inhabitants. Drawing on the insights gained from understanding the mechanisms of so...[ Read more ]

This paper delves into how the inherent networks that divert and transfer across the state border among Vietnamese migrants in Hekou, a border city on the China-Vietnam border, with a specific focus on the boundaries that reshape the social networks within the Vietnamese community on a foreign land. Through a comprehensive analysis of the effects of state, ethnic, gender, and kinship boundaries, this paper reveals the intricate and diverse social dynamics of the Vietnam Street, a Vietnamese specialty market in Hekou. Despite the new conditions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the social relationships and principles embedded within the Vietnam Street remain a powerful force in shaping the behavior of its inhabitants. Drawing on the insights gained from understanding the mechanisms of social interaction, this paper argues that it is possible to uncover the operating rules and characteristics of Vietnamese society and gain a deeper understanding of how Vietnamese migrants negotiate their relationships with the others in a smaller sense, and the circumstances in a larger one. Ultimately, this study offers insights into the dynamics of cross-border communities and highlights the importance of considering the role of boundaries in shaping social networks and the interplay across the boundary.

Key words: Sino-Viet border, social boundaries, Vietnamese, Chinese, gender