SOUTHEAST ASIA - Indochina

Mainland Southeast Asia is often called "Indochina". Indochina is named for the two primary Asian influences on the realm for the past 2000 years: (1) immigration from China, and (2) seafaring immigrants from India.

The "indo" part of Indochina refers to the cultural imprints from South Asia.  They are the Hindu and Buddhist presence [serelig], and Indian architecture, art (sculpture), writing , and literature. 

"China" refers to China’s power which during historical times extended into Vietnam [chempire].  Chinese settlers [sechine] later benefited from European colonizers who stimulated growth of agriculture, trade and industries.  Chinese soon dominated the region's retail trade, banking, industry, and shipping and became stubborn competitors to Europeans who used Chinese for their own designs on the realm. 

The Chinese are also a source of irritance to the local people of the realm [seethnic] .  Conflicts between the ethnic Chinese and the traditional local inhabitants continue to occur in many countries of the realm. The Chinese way of life (dress, food, houses and boats) were imprinted on this realm.