The places where the two countries meet often attract most tourists. Some places have beautiful scenery, while others can directly see the gap between the two countries. Before we went to Tibet, Xinjiang, we saw snow-capped mountains and plateaus. What we can see when we come to Guangxi this time is a very intuitive comparison between the two countries.
Guangxi Dongxing is the last section of China's border with Vietnam, and it is also the starting point of China's 18,-kilometer coastline. From here on, we will officially start the journey along the coastline. Before starting a new journey, the border of Dongxing is naturally a place not to be missed.
I have long heard that Dongxing's port is unique and very prosperous. There are many people coming and going at the port every day. However, due to the epidemic, the port is closed. I don't know what the border is like now, so I set off for the border with a little expectation.
The hotel we booked is a national chain express hotel, with reasonable price and good room environment, but it is a little outside, not in the city center, and it is convenient to enjoy the tram in Dongxing. You can ride a bike when you leave the hotel, and the distance from the hotel to the port is about 3 kilometers, which is very close, and it takes about 2 minutes by tram. One good thing about cycling is that you don't have to worry about parking.
The whole port area belongs to Dongxing Guomen Scenic Area. It's obviously not as lively as expected when you come here, but all the shops are open and there are many characteristic stalls at the border. In addition to Vietnamese specialties here, it is mahogany furniture, which can be said to be the two major shopping signs of Dongxing.
When we reached the No.5 boundary pillar of the Great Qing Dynasty, the other side we could see was Mang Street in Vietnam. Mang Street belongs to Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, with a relatively developed economy. It is a new special economic zone in Vietnam and has the largest border trade market in northern Vietnam. Here, China and Vietnam are bounded by the Beilun River, so whether we go from China to Vietnam or from Vietnam to China, we need to cross the Sino-Vietnamese Friendship Bridge, which can be said to have experienced storms and hardships.
China and Vietnam were both brothers of eastern bloc in 195s, and China also selflessly supported Vietnam's war of resistance against the United States. The Sino-Vietnamese Friendship Bridge was built in 1958 with the joint investment of China and Vietnam, which became a bridge of friendship between the two countries to exchange needed goods. But then Vietnam's behavior surprised people. They took the weapons we supported and began to be enemies with us. After decades of self-defense counterattack against Vietnam, this friendship bridge was once bombed, ending the friendly friendship between the two countries. Later, after the normalization of Sino-Vietnamese relations in 1993, the Sino-Vietnamese Friendship Bridge was rebuilt and became the "Sino-Vietnamese Friendship Bridge" today.
Mang Street is an important city in Vietnam. When we look across the Beilun River, we can see cars coming and going across the bridge in Vietnam, which is also quite prosperous. Although Vietnam belongs to Mang Street, there are quite a few China people doing business in Mang Street. Most shops have Chinese characters and many people can speak Mandarin.
Although Dongxing is a county-level city under Fangchenggang, it has to be said that the buildings in Dongxing are very good. From a height, there are also many high-rise buildings, which are no less than Mang Street, even better than Mang Street. This is why so many Vietnamese people come to Dongxing to do business.
Before the opening of the port, many Vietnamese people would set up their stalls here in Dongxing. A very recognizable sign was the hat worn by women. As long as they were vendors wearing hats, they were almost Vietnamese. But now that the port is closed, there are still many people who wear hats to set up stalls. After my understanding, I found that everyone is from Dongxing, and some of them are mixed-race. Although they are not Vietnamese, wearing hats can also make us feel exotic and feel good.
as we walked along the border, we saw that everything sold at each stall was similar. The three treasures of Vietnam were essential, such as perfume, plaster, wooden comb, some ornaments and various ointments. We sat down at a stall at random and chatted with our eldest sister without a word. It turned out that there was no such glass wall as we see now on the border. Previously, it was a short fence, and the Beilun River was not deep, so we could always see many people. Now the management is strict, and with the border wall, it is not so convenient to purchase goods. We bought some perfume, plaster, Vietnamese dong and other Vietnamese characteristics, and spent more than 2 yuan on it, which feels quite suitable. If you want to buy something, you must remember to bargain.
Turn around near the port and walk back. There is a street in Vietnam, which is also full of shops. There is a big feature here, that is, Vietnamese slippers. The rubber in Vietnam is good and the quality of slippers is good. It is also a good choice to buy two pairs and give them away.
It's almost time to turn around. We can find a Vietnamese restaurant and try some special Vietnamese food. We found a shop in Guomen Scenic Area, and ordered the special lemongrass shrimp, Vietnamese spring rolls and a plate of vegetables. We spent 15 yuan on these things. I think the price is a little expensive, and the taste may not be particularly authentic. If you want to try it, you must not be in the scenic area.
Generally speaking, in Dongxing, it is necessary to experience different exotic customs, review a period of history with historical sites, and then go shopping, buying and eating. A day of shopping can make people feel relaxed. If the port is opened, the scene will certainly be much more spectacular.