Sino-Vietnamese conflicts 1979-1990
Encyclopedia
The Sino-Vietnamese conflicts of 1979–1990 were a series of border clashes between China
and Vietnam
following the Sino-Vietnamese War
in 1979.
When Chinese troops withdrew from Vietnam in March 1979 after the war, China announced that they were not ambitious for "any square inch of the territory of Vietnam". In fact, Chinese troops occupied an area of 60 km2, which was disputed land controlled by Vietnam before hostilities broke out. In some places such as the area around Friendship Gate
in Lang Son
, Chinese troops occupied territories which have no military value but important symbolic value. Elsewhere, Chinese troops occupied the strategic positions of military importance as a springboard to attack Vietnam.
The Chinese occupation of border territory angered Vietnam, and this ushered in a series of fights between the two sides to gain control of the area. Border conflicts between Vietnam and China continued until 1988, peaking in the years 1984–1985. By the early 1990s, along with the withdrawal of Vietnam from Cambodia
and the collapse of the Soviet Union, relationship between the two countries gradually returned to normal. China gradually withdrew from the positions controlled by Vietnam before the conflict broke out.
border so that they would not be in Vietnamese-occupied Cambodia. To put pressure on Vietnam to withdraw military forces from Cambodia, China created pressure on the Sino-Vietnamese border by deploying legions there. China conducted military training for some 5,000 anti-Laotian
H'mong
troops in Yunnan Province and used these force to attack Moung Sing in northwest Laos
near the Sino-Laostian border. Vietnam responded by increasing forces stationed at the Sino-Vietnamese border, and China no longer had the advantage of forces as they did on their campaign in February 1979.
June 1980, Vietnam troops crossed the Thai-Cambodian border into Thai territory during the pursuit of defeated Khmer Rouge
to Thai territory.
Despite rapid Vietnamese withdrawal from Thai territory, the Vietnamese incursion made China feel they must act to support their allied Thailand and the Khmer Rouge. On the days from June 28 to July 6, in addition to outspoken criticism of Vietnam in diplomatic announcements, the Chinese troops continuously shelled Cao Bang Province
in northern Vietnam. The Chinese shellings did not aim at any strategic military target at all, nor did these shellings create any substantial damage on Vietnam but was symbolic. Vietnam felt the conduct of military operations on a large scale was beyond the Chinese capabilities, so Vietnam could have a free hand to conduct military operations in Cambodia. However, Chinese shellings shaped the types of conflict on the Sino-Vietnamese border in the next 10 years.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
following the Sino-Vietnamese War
Sino-Vietnamese War
The Sino–Vietnamese War , also known as the Third Indochina War, known in the PRC as and in Vietnam as Chiến tranh chống bành trướng Trung Hoa , was a brief but bloody border war fought in 1979 between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam...
in 1979.
When Chinese troops withdrew from Vietnam in March 1979 after the war, China announced that they were not ambitious for "any square inch of the territory of Vietnam". In fact, Chinese troops occupied an area of 60 km2, which was disputed land controlled by Vietnam before hostilities broke out. In some places such as the area around Friendship Gate
Friendship Gate
Friendship Pass Friendship Pass Friendship Pass (Chinese:友谊关,formerly 镇南关, Vietnamese: Hữu Nghị Quan, formerly Ải Nam Quan (both the present Vietnamese and Chinese names mean Friendship Pass) is a pass in the border between the China’s Guangxi and Vietnam’s Lang Son Province...
in Lang Son
Lang Son
Lạng Sơn , sometimes Langson, is a city in far northern Vietnam, is the capital of Lang Son province. It is accessible by road and rail from Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, and it is the northernmost point on National Road 1A.-History:...
, Chinese troops occupied territories which have no military value but important symbolic value. Elsewhere, Chinese troops occupied the strategic positions of military importance as a springboard to attack Vietnam.
The Chinese occupation of border territory angered Vietnam, and this ushered in a series of fights between the two sides to gain control of the area. Border conflicts between Vietnam and China continued until 1988, peaking in the years 1984–1985. By the early 1990s, along with the withdrawal of Vietnam from Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and the collapse of the Soviet Union, relationship between the two countries gradually returned to normal. China gradually withdrew from the positions controlled by Vietnam before the conflict broke out.
Background
Since 1979, there were at least six big rounds of clashes on Sino-Vietnamese border, in June 1980, May 1981, April 1983, April 1984, June 1985 and December 1986-January 1987. According to Western observers, all were initiated or provoked by the Chinese to serve their political objectives.Shelling of Cao Bang
Since early 1980, Vietnam conducted military operations in the dry season to sweep small Khmer Rouge forces over the Cambodian-ThaiThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
border so that they would not be in Vietnamese-occupied Cambodia. To put pressure on Vietnam to withdraw military forces from Cambodia, China created pressure on the Sino-Vietnamese border by deploying legions there. China conducted military training for some 5,000 anti-Laotian
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
H'mong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
troops in Yunnan Province and used these force to attack Moung Sing in northwest Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
near the Sino-Laostian border. Vietnam responded by increasing forces stationed at the Sino-Vietnamese border, and China no longer had the advantage of forces as they did on their campaign in February 1979.
June 1980, Vietnam troops crossed the Thai-Cambodian border into Thai territory during the pursuit of defeated Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
to Thai territory.
Despite rapid Vietnamese withdrawal from Thai territory, the Vietnamese incursion made China feel they must act to support their allied Thailand and the Khmer Rouge. On the days from June 28 to July 6, in addition to outspoken criticism of Vietnam in diplomatic announcements, the Chinese troops continuously shelled Cao Bang Province
Cao Bang Province
Cao Bằng is a province of northeastern Vietnam. The province has borders with Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, Bắc Kạn, and Lạng Sơn provinces within Vietnam. It also has common international border with Guangxi province of the People's Republic of China...
in northern Vietnam. The Chinese shellings did not aim at any strategic military target at all, nor did these shellings create any substantial damage on Vietnam but was symbolic. Vietnam felt the conduct of military operations on a large scale was beyond the Chinese capabilities, so Vietnam could have a free hand to conduct military operations in Cambodia. However, Chinese shellings shaped the types of conflict on the Sino-Vietnamese border in the next 10 years.