Vietnam and China have been neighbors since the ancient times, the Chinese and the Vietnamese people have accumulated a rich experience of intercommunication, a few people of Chinese descent have migrated to settle on the territories, which are now part of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV). The article describes the position of Chinese immigrants and their descendants, who have lived in Vietnam during the period spanning from the late 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century. In the article the common tendencies and the differences in the position of the Overseas Chinese in various parts of the Vietnamese state - in the South and in the North during the outlined historical period are analyzed.