ABSTRACT
In Chapters 3 and 4, I focused on the trans-border interaction between Vietnamese and Chinese in business and tourism which has given rise to the particular forms of cultural economy and cultural politics in the borderland. In this chapter, I shall examine the regulatory reality of the borderland. Despite being a prime symbol of state power, border regulation and control may not be as static as many may imagine. In the borderland, regulatory formality is complemented by a variety of informal and alternative forms of regulation. Formal border crossings exist side by side with various informal crossing points regulated by the authorities. Exit and entry of both people and goods is conducted in dynamic relationships between state agents and the people. Like rivers at high and low levels, regulation shows high levels and low levels, leading to different levels of strictness/flexibility in border control. Accelerated political tension between the two countries has led to stricter border regulation. The chapter will also use the special case of a newly-opened casino at the time of the spread of an epidemic to highlight cross-border money politics, political dynamics and the unusual regularity in the borderland.
