Vietnamese – Taiwanese multicultural family

Workshop "Vietnamese - Taiwanese Multicultural Family" organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities on December 18, 2013 with the participation of many Vietnamese and Taiwanese scientists.

The reports at the workshop reflected the current situation of marriage between Vietnamese women and Taiwanese men in recent years and analyzed in depth the challenges and difficulties faced by intercultural families, especially Vietnamese wives living in Taiwan, thereby pointing out the cultural and social consequences for the local community.

According to statistics, the number of marriages between Taiwanese men and Vietnamese women is increasing in both Taiwan and Vietnam. In Soc Trang province, from 2005-2010, there were 825/2115 cases of marriage with Taiwanese people, accounting for 39%. Statistics from the Department of Justice of some provinces in the Mekong Delta show that: among women who marry foreigners, those who marry Taiwanese men account for 79%.

When leaving their home country for another country, facing cultural and lifestyle differences, changes in environment, economy, education, language as well as cognitive and emotional changes, these couples have many difficulties in adapting to the new living conditions. Many challenges arise in the marital relationship between intercultural couples such as: prejudice and discrimination against immigrants; acculturation occurring within generations of families and communities; relationships between in-laws and extended families; communication issues and relationship quality in marriage; raising children... Mental health needs and coping in intercultural couples are identified from a multicultural perspective. On that basis, proposals for social care and psychological services for these families are discussed.

In particular, many specific issues were raised in the discussions: What difficulties do language and education limitations cause Vietnamese women in Taiwan to have in raising children? How do economic difficulties, language, cultural and lifestyle differences lead to psychological differences that affect Vietnamese-Taiwanese families? Are there conflicts and competition for jobs between Vietnamese wives and Taiwanese workers? How have women who marry Taiwanese men overcome the pressures and difficulties in life? What are the effectiveness of the policies that the Taiwanese government has in supporting foreign brides? Are there differences in the difficulties and challenges in the lives of women who marry Taiwanese men living in rural areas compared to urban areas? What difficulties do children of Vietnamese-Taiwanese couples face in life?…