The everyday impact of COVID-19 in Vietnam’s highlands
One important economic pathway to be disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic is across the Chinese border. As well as longstanding trade networks, in recent years many highlanders have been seasonally migrating to China for manual labour, often returning only once a year. This year, the border gates closed after the Lunar New Year holiday period, prompting a labour shortage in China and the prospect of higher wages for the few who are able to cross the border illegally without getting caught.