Cao Bang (VNA) - Desperate to find jobs, an increasing number ofresidents from the northern mountain province of Cao Bang are illegally crossingthe border to China, often to their own detriment, with worrying implications forsmall communities in the remote area.

With 300km of border with China, six bordergates, and hundreds of trails, transporting goods between Cao Bang province andthe neighbouring country is easy, and so is the illegal crossing.

A family from An Lac commune’s Soc Son DinhVillage in Ha Lang district recently lost their son and breadwinner, Ly Van Cuong,who had chosen to work illegally in China hoping to earn more money.

Barely 10 days after he started working in asugarcane factory, Cuong was struck by a metal bar at the factory and died, hismother Minh told the Nhan Dan (People’s) newspaper. His bodywas returned many days later, she added.

Cuong’s story is just one of the manyunfortunate cases in the border province, where it is common for youngsters toenter China’s illegal labour market.

Vuong Thi Deo, a resident of Da Thong commune’sLung Tan Village in Thong Nong district, survived an accident while working inChina, but it left her severely handicapped. She cannot perform even basictasks, and is completely dependent on her family.

Tham Thi Nghinh, also from Ha Lang district, isstill reeling from the trauma she suffered. Her family and neighbours say shewas initially held captive in China and eventually forced to return. Theincident has left her in a permanent state of anxiety and paranoia, she suffersfrom memory loss, and avoids talking to strangers.

Crossing the border itself is dangerous, withthe tracks passing through dense forests, and accidents and robberies arecommon. But that’s not where the danger ends. Having crossed over to China,Vietnamese citizens live at a risk as their rights are not protected owing totheir illegal status. The result: many are forced to work very long hours, inalmost slave-like conditions, while others are not paid. However, they can dolittle with no official work contracts, no unions, and no help from theVietnamese embassy.

Authorities say that from 2012 to date, at least10 residents of Cao Bang province who migrated illegally are known to have diedat work.

Nguyen Ich Chanh, Chairman of the Bao Lac districtPeople’s Committee, said that “insufficient job creation for people in borderareas” is the main reason for this situation. Most illegal crossings take placeduring periods when there’s no work, such as after the harvest and before thenew sowing season, as people need to make ends meet. Most people do manualwork, such as harvesting sugarcane and other crops. And what keeps the illegalcrossings going is the fact that locals can earn as much as 300,000 VND (13 USD)per day, considerably higher compared to what they get in Vietnam.

Other reasons, according to Chanh, are lack of awarenessabout the risks involved and shortage of staff to control border crossings.Complicated legal immigration procedures also add to the problem, he added.

Data compiled in 2016 by the Cao Bang BorderGuard Command shows 18,017 residents illegally crossed the border to work inChina, mostly from Phuc Hoa, Ha Lang and Trung Khanh districts, and the numbersare rising.

The provincial department of labour, invalids and social affairshas been urged to address the problem by setting up training classes and jobfairs for locals. The department has also been asked to provide preferentialloans for labourers who return from China  to help them make a living.

Authorities say they are dealing strictly withagents who smuggle people across the border. In the future, they will alsoreview administrative procedures concerning migrant labour to make itlegal and more accessible to local residents.-VNA