Leveraging the Bank of Indochina's Archival Records in Researching the Modernization of Transportation Infrastructure in Early Modern Vietnam

This paper elucidates the historical value and practical application of the Bank of Indochina’s (BIC) archival records in reconstructing the modernization of transportation infrastructure in Vietnam during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By analyzing annual reports, public loan dossiers, and financial investment portfolios, the research demonstrates that BIC archives provide a multifaceted perspective that extends beyond mere exchange rates to reflect detailed trajectories of the Trans-Indochina railway construction, strategic commercial ports, and maritime-terrestrial networks. The findings confirm that leveraging this specific body of records allows historians to decipher the operational mechanisms of French finance capital in coordinating capital flows to establish colonial technical infrastructure. This archival source serves as a pivotal link between financial history and the history of technology, enabling an objective evaluation of the nature and implications of infrastructure modernization under French rule.