China is one of the world’s fastest growing economies owing to its high population and enhanced economic performance. The state capitalist nature of the country has contributed to its vast investment overseas and creation of a defensive and assertive foreign policy, leading to continuous growth and development. Despite this current trend, the nation reported a stagnation for decades, part of which was as a result of its involvement in different wars. The Sino-Vietnam war is one such battles that the country engaged in following its conflict with Vietnam. It is hard to pinpoint which party is to blame for the armed struggle. Moreover,while there is no clear victors of the war, both nations suffered significant losses and were negatively affected for years to come. The Sino-Vietnamese war was a border battle between China and Vietnam following the Vietnamese takeover and occupation of Combodia. China responded by invading Vietnam and seizing many cities. As much as China did not succeed in driving the Vietnamese troops out of Cambodia, they were contended that their Cold War adversary the Soviet Union did not succeed in protecting the Vietnamese. To further explore the events and effects of the war, the research will present a discussion on the causes of the war and identify its impacts on the two countries. The consequence of the war on China will also be explored with a specific focus on the changes in the country’s foreign relations and policy.