Hekou is located in the southern end of the Hekou County seat,Yunnan Province,PRC,just across the Nanxi River from Lào Cai City in Vietnam.The cross-border trade activities of Vietnamese border residents have become an important part of booming port economy at Hekou.The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a severe setback in the cross-border trade activities.In response to the global public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,the Chinese government adopted emergency prevention and control measures to prioritize and ensure people's health and lives.The exception of epidemic prevention and control on Vietnamese nationals had a significant impact on the economic development and many aspects of social life at Hekou Port.After the state of exception,although many problems remain to be solved,the resumption of cultural exchanges,the revival of economic activities,and the emergence of new phenomena show that Hekou is still a port full of vitality.Focusing on the changes of economic activities and daily life of Vietnamese nationals at Hekou Port,it is found that the exception has various meanings for their daily life,and it is of great theoretical value and practical significance to explore strategies on how to quickly restore normality and achieve greater development.