Chinese "invasion" of Vietnam: the economy, the seas and the lives of people
by Nguyen Hung
An increasing presence and conditioning. The fear that Beijing also wants to impose its own model of the Church separate from Rome. Many illegal migrants, without a work permit.
Hanoi (AsiaNews) – Not only does China want to take 85% of the waters of Southeast Asia, but since 2010 it has been inacting an expansionist program in all developed countries of the continent. This is the opinion of experts in history, confirmed by what is happening in Vietnam, where there is a growing presence of Chinese enterprises and workers, many of whom are illegal.
The fear, expressed by Father Nguyễn Văn Khải, former spokesman of the Redemptorists, is that "the Chinese invasion will put the country into the hands of Beijing’s atheist and materialistic leaders. If we lose our country, we lose everything. And the Chinese will force the Vietnamese Church to follow the Chinese model. It will force us to separate us from the Holy See and to break communion in the Church. "
In an Aug. 24 interview in U.S. based Người Việt Online, the religious priest states that "having worked for ten years among the faithful in the remote mountain parishes I have witnessed the bad behaviour of Chinese workers who bullied the villagers. Several times after eating and drinking they did not want to pay. And if the villagers protested, they would call thousands of other workers to attack and destroy the houses. "
In Vietnam, the "Chinese economic expansion" is represented by illegal Chinese labourers. Recently, the press and experts have warned of the irregular situation of Chinese workers in Vietnam. Most employees do not have professional skills and the workers are causing instability in the economic, social, military, political spheres as well as everyday life of people.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Security, "in May 2011 there were 74 thousand foreign workers in Vietnam. Among employees, 90% are Chinese, the majority labourers. "
The Chinese are from the province of Lang Son (near the border with China) to Ca Mau (the southernmost province). Even Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, vice president of the National Assembly, said she was "concerned about the Chinese workers because they are present throughout the country, as far as the province of Ca Mau."
And for the most part they are illegal. The People's Committee of Ninh Binh Province has admitted that out of two thousand Chinese workers on its territory, 1,500 do not have permission to work. Migrant workers are illegal. Even in the Highlands: the Chinese companies are pushing ahead with controversial plans for the exploitation of bauxite in Nhan Co Tân Rai (pictured) for thousands of Chinese workers, but only 25% of them have permits. In the province of Ca Mau, only 690 of 1,700 employees are allowed to work. "
An official of the Labour and Social Security of the latter province told AsiaNews that "in August of this year, when we went into factories for inspections, the Director, from China, was absent and had sent his employees away. So we do not know exactly how many there are. "
A journalist from Quảng Ngãi explains that "the reason behind this situation is the Vietnamese government’s awarding construction projects to Chinese contractors. Thus, China has carried out projects everywhere. "
In Thanh Hóa people tell that "when Chinese workers enter the shops, normally they start trouble. They are bullies and there are eye-witness accounts of traders being beaten. Hundreds, sometimes attacked people with batons. Local authorities have no power and people are losing faith. The people must defend themselves. "
The fear, expressed by Father Nguyễn Văn Khải, former spokesman of the Redemptorists, is that "the Chinese invasion will put the country into the hands of Beijing’s atheist and materialistic leaders. If we lose our country, we lose everything. And the Chinese will force the Vietnamese Church to follow the Chinese model. It will force us to separate us from the Holy See and to break communion in the Church. "
In an Aug. 24 interview in U.S. based Người Việt Online, the religious priest states that "having worked for ten years among the faithful in the remote mountain parishes I have witnessed the bad behaviour of Chinese workers who bullied the villagers. Several times after eating and drinking they did not want to pay. And if the villagers protested, they would call thousands of other workers to attack and destroy the houses. "
In Vietnam, the "Chinese economic expansion" is represented by illegal Chinese labourers. Recently, the press and experts have warned of the irregular situation of Chinese workers in Vietnam. Most employees do not have professional skills and the workers are causing instability in the economic, social, military, political spheres as well as everyday life of people.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Security, "in May 2011 there were 74 thousand foreign workers in Vietnam. Among employees, 90% are Chinese, the majority labourers. "
The Chinese are from the province of Lang Son (near the border with China) to Ca Mau (the southernmost province). Even Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, vice president of the National Assembly, said she was "concerned about the Chinese workers because they are present throughout the country, as far as the province of Ca Mau."
And for the most part they are illegal. The People's Committee of Ninh Binh Province has admitted that out of two thousand Chinese workers on its territory, 1,500 do not have permission to work. Migrant workers are illegal. Even in the Highlands: the Chinese companies are pushing ahead with controversial plans for the exploitation of bauxite in Nhan Co Tân Rai (pictured) for thousands of Chinese workers, but only 25% of them have permits. In the province of Ca Mau, only 690 of 1,700 employees are allowed to work. "
An official of the Labour and Social Security of the latter province told AsiaNews that "in August of this year, when we went into factories for inspections, the Director, from China, was absent and had sent his employees away. So we do not know exactly how many there are. "
A journalist from Quảng Ngãi explains that "the reason behind this situation is the Vietnamese government’s awarding construction projects to Chinese contractors. Thus, China has carried out projects everywhere. "
In Thanh Hóa people tell that "when Chinese workers enter the shops, normally they start trouble. They are bullies and there are eye-witness accounts of traders being beaten. Hundreds, sometimes attacked people with batons. Local authorities have no power and people are losing faith. The people must defend themselves. "
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