Border Security - Vietnam’s Holy Grail to Defeating Covid-19

Since the first cases were reported back in February, Vietnam has done a tremendous job in
containing the Covid-19 pandemic, evidenced by global lows in both case count and deaths, as well as a
heightened sense of normalcy among the population. The feat has been, in large part, thanks to
exceptional and timely government measures, including a nationwide lockdown order, which lasted
several months, and the sealing of borders. However, if Vietnam wishes to remain a global leader in
pandemic containment, it must turn its attention to and address threats from the outside world, as
evidenced by the recent cases in the tourist city of Danang.

On July 25, Vietnam confirmed the continuation of community transmission of Covid-19 in

Danang, a tourism hotspot. In addition to putting an end to the country’s impressive 99-day streak without
a case in the community, the resurfacing of the coronavirus drew the public eye towards a far more
pressing issue: illegal immigration. That same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered an
investigation into a network that helped foreigners, particularly Chinese tourists, circumvent stringent
border security measures and the fourteen-day quarantine requirement for entry. “We must prosecute all
cases of illegal entry,” he said, “especially networks that aim to bring foreigners into Vietnam”.

The logic behind these new cases is simple, yet unnerving. There hasn’t been a community case
for ninety-nine days, and viruses cannot appear out of nowhere. Therefore, the most probable conclusion
is that an infected individual had somehow been able to gain entry into the country, leading to the
continuation of community transmission. Armed with this information, local and national authorities have
since thwarted a number of human trafficking rings that aimed to smuggle Chinese tourists into popular
destinations such as Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, and Danang, and even beyond to Cambodia.

These recent developments have placed the spotlight upon the inadequate enforcement of the
Sino-Vietnamese border, but this is far from a new problem. Since 2007, The Vietnamese government
estimates that 90% of Vietnamese trafficking victims are trafficked into China, and 80% are sexually
exploited. It is highly probable that the very groups responsible for these human trafficking operations are
now operating to smuggle foreigners into Vietnam during the pandemic, using their prior established
knowledge of the inadequacies with border security. The demand comes chiefly north of the border,
where there is always a steady supply of illegal economic migrants and workers. The timing of the second
wave also corresponds to the peak summer travel season. Vietnam, with its exceptional handling of the
pandemic thus far and attractive tourist destinations, becomes a tempting destination for those looking to
unwind amidst the pandemic. It is for these reasons, therefore, that border security must be at the very top
of Vietnam’s plan of action against the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are a few tasks which Vietnam has to accomplish in order to maintain stability and
resilience against the pandemic in this new situation. Firstly, it has to continue its superior performance
pertaining to the identification of cases and dealing with them, as well maintain an stable environment
within the country. The government has done well in this regard, having established very clear guidelines
and protocols in dealing with suspected and confirmed cases. All individuals returning from a high-risk
area or from abroad are placed in quarantine for fourteen days, and all citizens are recommended to use
phone apps to self-report potential symptoms, as well as track recorded cases. Large-scale testing has also
been recently implemented. These effective measures have yielded, and will continue to yield, favorable
results.

The second measure that must be taken is the continued tightening of border security. This
includes both legal and illegal border crossings. Vietnam must continue stringent screening of any and all
individuals seeking to enter the country at this time, upholding its mandatory fourteen-day quarantine
policy. However, the brunt of the issue lies with illicit border crossings. Any attempt to enter the country
or facilitate the entrance of aliens into the country illicitly must be prosecuted in a timely manner, and
contact tracing must be implemented. A bolstering of border patrol agents at this time is also necessary, as
the Vietnamese border with both China and its western neighbors are not natural, but largely
administratively set, which may make some regions of the border susceptible to unreported and illicit
crossings, something that human and goods trafficking rings have done for a long time.

Increasing public understanding of the issue is also paramount. It is important that the public
view the trafficking of foreigners into Vietnam for profit as both immoral and a large risk to public health,
as a deterrent for those individuals wishing to take part in these activities. This can be accomplished
through government notices and announcements and other means of official communication. It should
also be encouraged that citizens educate and supervise one another. In a society like Vietnam’s, where
neighbors are tightly-knit and word of mouth travels faster than any other form of communication, intra-
community supervision has always been the most effective. This principle is officially dubbed the “Front
of the People’s Will”, and places a large importance on the self-supervision and self-education of the
populace in order to achieve a larger goal of national importance.

Already, there have been tangible and positive results from the implementation of these measures.
After a brief sharp spike, the number of new cases has taken a dip in recent days. Although Vietnam has
begun to register fatalities due to Covid-19, most of these most of these cases come as a result of
opportunistic infections and prior medical conditions. A large number of new border security campaigns
have also been launched in response to these developments, yielding immediate results. The government
has also made efforts towards promoting correct public perception of the importance of combatting the
pandemic.

Most of us are familiar with the story of the Trojan horse. Troy fell not because the enemy was
overpowering, but rather because they brought about their own demise. Thus, Vietnam stands to suffer
considerably, lest it be able to put an end to illegal border crossings, both within the context of the Covid-
19 pandemic and beyond.
Phong Pham