China: Old French Customs House, Yongyiguan (Friendship Pass), Chinese - Vietnamese border, near Pingxiang, Guangxi Province

Friendship Pass (Chinese:友谊关,formerly 镇南关, Vietnamese: Hữu Nghị Quan, formerly and most commonly known as Ải Nam Quan (both the present Vietnamese and Chinese names mean Friendship Pass) is a pass near the border between the China’s Guangxi and Vietnam’s Lang Son Province. This is one of the busiest border trading points of Vietnam.

During the Ming dynasty the pass was known as Zhennanguan (鎮南關 - South Suppressing Pass). In 1953, its name was changed to Munanguan (睦南关 - South Watching Pass). In 1965, it became known as Youyiguan (友誼关 - Friendship Pass) as communist China and communist North Vietnam had closer political, military and economic ties.

Copyright:

CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Photographer:

David Henley

Credit:

Pictures From Asia