Vietnamese law doesn’t allow enterprises to use untrained
foreign workers. But in the northern province of Ninh Binh, there is a
construction site where unskilled Chinese workers number nearly 1,500 people.

People in Khanh Phu commune in Yen Khanh district of the Ninh Binh province
calls a section of National Highway 10, which passes the commune as “The Street
of Chinese” because at night, hundreds of Chinese workers flock to this street.

“This place used to be very peaceful, but since Chinese workers came here, our
street has become noisier than ever. Every night, many Chinese young men
half-nakedly drink alcohol along the road, spit and annoy girls,” a local said.

A Vietnamese worker at the construction site of the Ninh Binh Nitrogenous
Fertilizer Factory said that quarrels between Vietnamese and Chinese workers,
and between Chinese happen very often.

“After the construction of the Ninh Binh Nitrogenous Fertilizer Factory was
kicked off, this rural area has totally changed. Restaurants, shops,
hairdressing salons, massage parlous, inns, etc. have been mushrooming to serve
Chinese workers,” a local man named Nguyen Hoang Tam said.

“Chinese workers often group in tens. They wear only shorts to walk on the
street and tease any girl they see,” Tam added.

He said his neighbor who leased some rooms to Chinese workers had to end leasing
contracts early, because that family could not stand Chinese workers’ disorderly
lifestyle.

“Once, several Chinese guys teased each other while having bath. They screamed
and ran after each other on the street. The guy behind slid down the pants of
the guy in front, disturbing local residents”.

Chinese workers after work

A resident in the “Chinese street” complained: “After the dinner, they often
walk along the street in groups of tens. They keep covetous eyes on houses. More
terribly, they pissed in front of my home. I was very angry and drove them away,
but they were not afraid and insulted me”.

Over 1,500 illegal workers

According to the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Ninh
Binh, there are 26 companies using foreign workers in the province, totaling
2,400 people, accounting for 15.2 percent of the workforce at these firms. Of
this number, only 717 have work permits. Up to 1,448 illegal foreign workers are
employed by the Ninh Binh Nitrogenous Fertilizer Factory.

“Chinese workers in Ninh Binh come to Vietnam with travel visas,” said Vu Duc
Duong, an official from the local Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social
Affairs.

Chinese workers account for the highest rate of foreign workers in Ninh Binh.
They mainly work at cement companies and construction sites.

At the construction site of the Ninh Binh Nitrogenous Fertilizer Factory, there
are up to 1,988 foreign Chinese. Only 82 of them are managers, 514 are
technicians and the remaining are untrained workers.

“Vietnamese law does not open the door for foreign untrained laborers, but a big
flow of unskilled foreign workers is still running into Vietnam,” Duong said.

The official said that Ninh Binh authorities have asked the fertilizer factory
management board to provide sufficient information about Chinese workers, but
the board has not accomplished this task yet.

Investors often plead that if illegal foreign workers are expelled; their
projects will go slowly or be stopped.

Duong also worried that local workers are losing jobs for Chinese.

Source: TN