The Issue of Ethnic-Religious Relations in Current Socio-Economic Development in Coastal and Island Regions

Abstract

Vietnam is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-belief country, which has fostered diverse ethnic, religious, and belief communities. Along our country's coasts and islands, the relationships between ethnic groups, religions, and beliefs always play pivotal roles in socio-economic development, bolstering security and defence, and ensuring territorial sovereignty. While there have been numerous studies on ethnic groups and cultures in coastal and island areas of Vietnam, there remains a scarcity of research on the interplay between ethnic groups, religions, and beliefs in these regions. Drawing from fieldwork sources and existing documents, this article elucidates the dynamics of ethnic-religious and belief relations within the context of socio-economic development in coastal areas and islands of our country, with a primary focus on the Kinh people on the Northern coast, the Cham people on the South Central coast, and the Khmer and Chinese on the Southwestern coast.