Sino - Vietnamese War The Sino - Vietnamese War ( Vietnamese : Chiến tranh biên giới Việt - Trung ; ) , also known as the Third Indochina War , was a brief border war fought between the People ' s Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in early 1979 . China launched the offensive in response to Vietnam ' s invasion and occupation of Cambodia in 1978 ( which ended the reign of the Chinese - backed Khmer Rouge ) . Chinese Vice - premier Deng Xiaoping saw this as a Soviet attempt " to extend its evil tentacles to Southeast Asia and . . . carry out expansion there . " , reflecting the long - standing Sino - Soviet split . As the former U . S . Secretary of State Henry Kissinger notes : " Whatever the shortcomings of its execution , the Chinese campaign reflected a serious , long - term strategic analysis . " The Chinese entered northern Vietnam and captured some of the bordering cities . On March 6 , 1979 , China declared that the gate to Hanoi was open and that their punitive mission had been achieved . Chinese forces retreated back across the Vietnamese border , into China . Both China and Vietnam claimed victory in the last of the Indochina Wars of the 20th century ; as Vietnamese troops remained in Cambodia until 1989 it can be said that China failed to achieve the goal of dissuading Vietnam from involvement in Cambodia . However , Moscow surely realized that any attempt at expanding its foothold in Southeast Asia would have involved risk of military confrontation with China . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the Sino - Vietnamese border was finalized . China demonstrated to its Cold War adversary , the Soviet Union , that they were unable to protect their new Vietnamese ally . Following worsening relations between the Soviet Union and China as a result of the Sino - Soviet split , as many as 1 . 5 million Chinese troops were stationed along the Soviet - Chinese border , in preparation for a full - scale war . Etymology . The Sino - Vietnamese War ( Vietnam : " Chiến tranh biên giới Việt - Trung " ) is also known as the Third Indochina War , to distinguish it from the First Indochina War , and the Vietnam War , also known as the Second Indochina War . The war is also known in Vietnam as ( Vietnam : " Chiến tranh chống bành trướng Trung Hoa " ; English : " War against Chinese expansionism " ) . In China , the war is referred to as ( ; English : " Defensive Counterattack against Vietnam " ) . The Chinese government described the war as a " self - defense counterattack against Vietnam " ( 对越自卫反击战 ; " duì yuè zì wèi fǎn jī zhàn " ) . Background . French colonialism and the First Indochina War . Vietnam first became a French colony when France invaded in 1858 . By the 1880s , the French had expanded their sphere of influence in Southeast Asia to include all of Vietnam , and by 1893 both Laos and Cambodia had become French colonies as well . Rebellions against the French colonial power were common up to World War I . The European war heightened revolutionary sentiment in Southeast Asia , and the independence - minded population rallied around revolutionaries such as Hồ Chí Minh and others , including royalists . Prior to their attack on Pearl Harbor , the Japanese occupied French Indochina . The Japanese surrender in 1945 created a power vacuum in Indochina , as the various political factions scrambled for control . The events leading to the First Indochina War are subject to historical contention . When the Vietminh hastily sought to establish the Democratic Republic of Vietnam , the remaining French at first welcomed the new regime , but then staged a coup to regain their control . The Kuomintang supported French restoration , but Vietminh efforts towards independence were helped by Chinese communists under Soviet Union ' s power . The Soviet Union at first indirectly supported Vietnamese communists , but later directly supported Hồ Chí Minh . The Soviets nonetheless remained less supportive than China until after the Sino - Soviet split , during the time of Leonid Brezhnev when the Soviet Union became the key ally to communist Vietnam . The war itself involved numerous events that had major impacts throughout Indochina . Two major conferences were held to bring about a resolution . Finally , on July 20 , 1954 , the Geneva Conference resulted in a political settlement to reunite the country , signed with support from China , Russia , and Western European powers . While the Soviet Union played a constructive role in the agreement , it again was not as involved as China . The U . S . did not sign the agreement and swiftly moved to back South Vietnam . Sino - Soviet split . The Chinese Communist Party and the Vietminh had a long history . During the initial stages of the First Indochina War with France , the recently founded communist People ' s Republic of China had to continue the Russian mission to expand communism . Therefore , they aided the Vietminh and became the connector between Soviets and the Vietminh . In early 1950 , The Vietminh fought independently from the ' Chinese Military Advisory Group ' under Wei Guoqing . This was one of the reasons for China to cut the arms support for the Vietminh . After the death of Joseph Stalin , relations between the Soviet Union and China began to deteriorate . Mao Zedong believed the new Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had made a serious error in his Secret Speech denouncing Stalin , and criticized the Soviet Union ' s interpretation of Marxism – Leninism , in particular Khrushchev ' s support for peaceful co - existence and its interpretation . This led to increasingly hostile relations , and eventually the Sino - Soviet split . From here , Chinese communists played a decreasing role in helping their former allies because the Vietminh did not support China against the Soviets . Following the death of Mao , the overthrow of the Gang of Four and the ascent of Deng Xiaoping , the Chinese leadership would revise its own positions to become compatible with market aspects , denounce the Cultural Revolution , and collaborate with the US against the Soviet Union . Vietnam War . The Soviet Union and North Vietnam became important allies together due to the fact that if South Vietnam was successfully taken over by North Vietnam , then communism in the far - east would find its strategic position bolstered . In the eyes of the People ' s Republic of China , the growing Soviet - Vietnamese relationship was a disturbing development ; they feared an encirclement by the less - than - hospitable Soviet sphere of influence . The People ' s Republic of China started talks with the United States in the early 1970s , culminating in high level meetings with Henry Kissinger and later Richard Nixon . These meetings contributed to a re - orientation of Chinese foreign policy toward the United States . Meanwhile , the People ' s Republic of China also supported the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia . Cambodia . Although the Vietnamese Communists and the Khmer Rouge had previously cooperated , the relationship deteriorated when Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot came to power and established Democratic Kampuchea . After the 1977 Khmer Rouge incursion against the Vietnamese provinces of An Giang , Châu Đốc and Kiên Giang ( especially Phu Quoc island ) numerous clashes along the border between Vietnam and Cambodia , and encouragement from Khmer Rouge defectors , Vietnam invaded Cambodia in December 1978 . In order to occupy the territory of Cambodia , Vietnam decided to move main forces from the north to the south but still harry the border of China at the command of Soviets . This decision put Vietnam into a bi - directional war with Cambodia and China . When China started attacking the military troops in the north of Vietnam , the Vietnamese government had to move their main forces south to defend their homeland . The Soviets announced that they were supporting the Vietnamese against Cambodian massacres . They sent heavy transport planes to help Vietnam move their main forces . In late 1978 , the Vietnamese military rushed to Phnom Penh quickly and ended the Khmer Rouge regime . However , the main forces continued to occupy Cambodia two years to help the new government stabilize . History . While the first war emerged from the complex situation following World War II and the second exploded from the unresolved aftermath of political relations with the first , the Third Indochina War again followed the unsolved problems of the earlier wars . China , now under Deng Xiaoping , was starting the Chinese economic reform and opening trade with NATO nations , in turn , growing increasingly defiant against the Soviet Union . On November 3 , 1978 , the Soviet Union and Vietnam signed a twenty - five year mutual defense treaty , which made Vietnam the " linchpin " in the Soviet Union ' s " drive to contain China . " On January 1 , 1979 , Chinese Vice - premier Deng Xiaoping visited the United States for the first time and spoke to American president Jimmy Carter : " Our little buddy is getting naughty , it ' s time he be spanked . " ( original Chinese words : 小朋友不听话 ， 该打打屁股了 。 ) . On February 15 , the first day that China could have officially announced the termination of the Sino - Soviet Treaty of Friendship , Alliance and Mutual Assistance , Deng Xiaoping declared that China planned to conduct a limited attack on Vietnam . The reason cited for the attack was the mistreatment of Vietnam ' s ethnic Chinese minority and the Vietnamese occupation of the Spratly Islands ( claimed by China ) . To prevent Soviet intervention on Vietnam ' s behalf , Deng warned Moscow the next day that China was prepared for a full - scale war against the Soviet Union ; in preparation for this conflict , China put all of its troops along the Sino - Soviet border on an emergency war alert , set up a new military command in Xinjiang , and even evacuated an estimated 300 , 000 civilians from the Sino - Soviet border . In addition , the bulk of China ' s active forces ( as many as one - and - a - half million troops ) were stationed along China ' s borders with the Soviet Union . In response to China ' s attack , the Soviet Union sent several naval vessels and initiated a Soviet arms airlift to Vietnam . However the Soviet Union felt that there was simply no way that they could directly support Vietnam against China ; the distances were too great to be an effective ally , and any sort of reinforcements would have to cross territory controlled by China or U . S . allies . The only realistic option would be to indirectly restart the simmering border war with China in the north . Vietnam was important to Soviet policy but not enough for the Soviets to go to war over . When Moscow did not intervene , Beijing publicly proclaimed that the Soviet Union had broken its numerous promises to assist Vietnam . The Soviet Union ' s failure to support Vietnam emboldened China to announce on April 3 , 1979 , that it intended to terminate the 1950 Sino - Soviet Treaty of Friendship , Alliance , and Mutual Assistance . Chinese forces . On February 17 , a Chinese force of about 200 , 000 supported by 200 Type 59 , Type 62 , and Type 63 tanks from the Chinese People ' s Liberation Army ( PLA ) entered northern Vietnam . The Chinese force consisted of units from the Kunming Military Region ( later abolished ) , Chengdu Military Region , Wuhan Military Region ( later abolished ) and Guangzhou Military Region , but commanded by the headquarters of Kunming Military Region on the western front and Guangzhou Military Region in the eastern front . Some troops engaged in this war , especially engineering units , railway corps , logistical units and antiaircraft units , had been assigned to assist North Vietnam in its war against South Vietnam just a few years earlier during the Vietnam War . Contrary to the belief that over 600 , 000 Chinese troops entered North Vietnam , the actual number was only 200 , 000 . However , 600 , 000 Chinese troops were mobilized , of which 400 , 000 were deployed away from their original bases during the one month conflict . Around 200 tanks ( specifically Type 59 s ) were also deployed . The Chinese troop deployments were observed by U . S . spy satellites , and the KH - 9 " Big Bird " photographic reconnaissance satellite played an important role . In his state visit to the U . S . in 1979 , the Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping was presented with this information and asked to confirm the numbers . He replied that the information was completely accurate . After this public confirmation in the U . S . , the domestic Chinese media were finally allowed to report on these deployments . Vietnamese forces . The Vietnamese government claimed they left only a force of about 70 , 000 including several army regular divisions in its northern area . However , the Chinese claimed to have encountered more than twice this number . During the war , Vietnamese forces also used American military equipment captured during the Vietnam War . Course of the war . The Chinese entered Northern Vietnam and advanced quickly about 15 – 20 kilometers into Vietnam , with fighting mainly occurring in the provinces of Cao Bằng , Lào Cai and Lạng Sơn . The Vietnamese avoided mobilizing their regular divisions , and held back some 300 , 000 troops for the defence of Hanoi . The Vietnamese forces tried to avoid direct combat , and often used guerrilla tactics . The initial Chinese attack soon lost its momentum , and a new wave of attack was sent in . Eight Chinese divisions joined the battle , and captured some of the northernmost cities in Vietnam . After capturing the northern heights above Lang Son , the Chinese surrounded and paused in front of the city in order to lure the Vietnamese into reinforcing it with units from Cambodia . This had been the main strategic ploy in the Chinese war plan as Deng did not want to risk an escalation involving the Soviets . The PVA high command , after a tip - off from Soviet satellite intelligence , was able to see through the trap , however , and committed reserves only to Hanoi . Once this became clear to the Chinese People ' s Liberation Army ( PLA ) , the war was practically over . An assault was still mounted , but the Vietnamese only committed one PVA regiment defending the city . After three days of bloody house - to - house fighting , Lang Son fell on March 6 . The PLA then took the southern heights above Lang Son and occupied Sapa . The PLA claimed to have crushed several of the Vietnamese regular units . The Chinese now resumed their attacks aimed at the major provincial capitals and key communication centres in the border hinter land . Major battles developed at Cao Bằng , Lang Son , Hoang Lien Son , Lai Chau and Quang Ninh . The aim of these attacks was to draw in the regular Vietnamese Army formations and inflict heavy attrition on them through classical " meat - grinder " operations . There were fierce attacks and counterattacks . In Lang Son the Chinese launched 17 counterattacks to regain one objective . By late last week of February , the Vietnamese had still not committed any of their regular divisions which were being held back for the defence of Hanoi . They had also not pulled out any of their 150 , 000 troops in Cambodia . In the provincial capital the Vietnamese adopted their favourite tactic : they withdrew from the towns into the adjoining hills . As the Chinese formations surged in they were engaged from all sides from the surrounding hills and quite severely mauled . At the same time , due to the crude tactics and strategy of the PLA command , PLA units also suffered extensive casualties themselves . The combination of high casualties , a badly organized command , harsh Vietnamese resistance and the risk of the Soviets entering the conflict stopped the Chinese from going any farther . On March 6 , China declared that the gate to Hanoi was open and that their punitive mission had been achieved . On the way back to the Chinese border , the PLA destroyed all local infrastructure and housing and looted all useful equipment and resources ( including livestock ) , which were mainly donated by China to support Vietnam ' s economy prior to the war , severely weakening the economy of Vietnam ' s northernmost provinces . The PLA crossed the border back into China on March 16 . Both sides declared victory with China claiming to have crushed the Vietnamese resistance and Vietnam claiming that China had fought mostly against border militias . Aftermath . The aftermath of the war had different effects . China and Vietnam each lost thousands of troops , and China lost 3 , 446 million yuan in overhead , which delayed completion of their 1979 – 80 economic plan . To reduce Vietnam ' s military capability against China , the Chinese implemented a " scorched - earth policy " while returning to China , causing extensive damage to the Vietnamese countryside and infrastructure . Although Vietnam continued to occupy Cambodia , China successfully mobilized international opposition to the occupation , rallying such leaders as Cambodia ' s deposed king Norodom Sihanouk , Cambodian anticommunist leader Son Sann , and high - ranking members of the Khmer Rouge to deny the pro - Vietnam regime in Cambodia diplomatic recognition beyond the Soviet bloc . China improved relations with ASEAN by promising protection to Thailand and Singapore against " Vietnamese aggression " . In contrast , Vietnam ' s decreasing prestige in the region led it to be more dependent on the Soviet Union , to which it leased a naval base at Cam Ranh Bay . Chinese casualties . The number of casualties during the war is disputed . Vietnamese source claimed the PLA had suffered 62 , 500 total casualties ; while Chinese democracy activist Wei Jingsheng told western media in 1980 that the Chinese troops had suffered 9 , 000 deaths and about 10 , 000 wounded during the war . New Chinese sources indicated that China only suffered 6 , 954 lost . Vietnamese casualties . Like their counterparts in the Chinese government , the Vietnamese government has never announced any information on its actual military casualties . China estimated Vietnamese side had 42 , 000 soldiers killed and 70 , 000 militias also killed by the Chinese PLA . The Nhan Dan newspaper the Central Organ of the Communist Party of Vietnam claimed that Vietnam suffered more than 10 , 000 civilian deaths during the Chinese invasion and earlier on May 17 , 1979 , reported statistics on heavy losses of industry and agriculture properties . Other skirmishes . Border skirmishes continued throughout the 1980s , including a significant skirmish in April 1984 . Armed conflict only ended in 1989 after the Vietnamese agreed to fully withdraw from Cambodia . This conflict also saw the first use of the Type 81 assault rifle by the Chinese and a naval battle over the Spratly Islands in 1988 known as the Johnson South Reef Skirmish . In 1999 after many years of negotiations , China and Vietnam signed a border pact , though the line of demarcation remained secret . There was an adjustment of the land border , resulting in Vietnam giving China part of its land which were lost during the battle , including the Ai Nam Quan Gate which served as the traditional border marker and entry point between Vietnam and China , which caused widespread frustration within Vietnam . Vietnam ' s official news service reported the implementation of the new border around August 2001 . Again in January 2009 the border demarcation with markers was officially completed , signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Dung on the Vietnamese side and his Chinese counterpart , Wu Dawei , on the Chinese side . Both the Paracel ( Hoàng Sa : Vietnamese ) ( Xīshā : Chinese ) and Spratly ( Trường Sa : Vietnamese ) ( Nansha : Chinese ) islands remain a point of contention . During the Sino - Soviet split , strained relations between China and the Soviet Union resulted in strained relations between China and the pro - Soviet Afghan Communist regime . China and Afghanistan had neutral relations with each other during the King ' s rule . When the pro - Soviet Afghan Communists seized power in Afghanistan in 1978 , relations between China and the Afghan communists quickly turned hostile . The Afghan pro - Soviet communists supported the Vietnamese during the Sino - Vietnamese War and blamed China for supporting Afghan anti - communist militants . China responded to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by supporting the Afghan Mujahideen and ramping up their military presence near Afghanistan in Xinjiang . China acquired military equipment from the United States to defend itself from Soviet attack . In response to the Soviet threat level , the Chinese People ' s Liberation Army trained and supported the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan . China moved its training camps for the mujahideen from Pakistan into China itself . Hundreds of millions worth of anti - aircraft missiles , rocket launchers and machine guns were given to the Mujahideen by the Chinese . Chinese military advisors and army troops were present with the Mujahideen during training . Relations after the war . The December 2007 announcement of a plan to build a Hanoi - Kunming highway was a landmark in Sino - Vietnamese relations . The road will traverse the border that once served as a battleground . It should contribute to demilitarizing the border region , as well as facilitating trade and industrial cooperation between the nations . In popular culture . Chinese media . There are a number of Chinese songs , movies and T . V . programs depicting and discussing this conflict with Vietnam in 1979 from the Chinese viewpoint . These vary from the patriotic song " Bloodstained Glory " originally written to laud the sacrifice and service of the Chinese military , to the 1986 film " The Big Parade " which carried ( as far as possible , in China at that time ) veiled criticism of the war .