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After the failure of the 2nd Five year Plan, leaders in Hanoi were faced with the need for an urgent revision of their economic reforms in South Vietnam. A new economic orientation was imperative after the conclusions reached at the 6th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese communist Party at the end of September 1979, and those of the council of ministers on December 1980-January 1981. Planned by the « pragmatic technocrats », the policy of « the three interests » formed from now on the new basis for the development of the economy in South Vietnam : the « two-way contract » system applied to agriculture (to replace the system of « work points », to industry and other economic sectors, the liberalizatrion of private trade, application of the « negociated price » nearing « free price » and so on... Over three years (1980-1983), some recovery of agricultural production has been noted (12 million tons of foodstufs in 1980, more than 13,3 million tons in 1983). But the permanent shortfall of foodstuffs (4,5 million tons) has resulted in the soaring of the « free » prices of the essential products (worsened by the economic liberalization).The galloping inflation and the corrupt practices among cadres at all levels have given rise to dissension on the part of the « dogmatics » within the highest ranks of the Vietnamese communist Party, which led leaders in Hanoi to call in question « the policy of three interests ». After the 5th National Congress at the end of March 1982, the clan of « the dogmatics » won, and the new economic reforms introduced from January to July 1983 stressed a distinct return to « hard line » policy. However until now, there are no optimistic signs of economic inflation recovery in the 3rd Five-Year l981-1985 Plan. Quite to the contrary, inflation keeps soaring and the crisis of rural economy in the Mekong delta is growing worse day after day.

The present paper synthesises field observations of the Author made in Shanxi and Pekin provinces and recent chinese literature, in part english abstracts. The main points to be focussed are : 1. Loesses began to be deposited around 2 500 000 years ago ; 2. Chinese scientists have distinguished three, « loesses », in chronological order : Wucheng, Lishi and Malan ; 3. In fact, what is called « Wucheng Loess » and « Lishi Loess » are complex and diversifxed deposits, consisting of predominant decarbonated material (exclusive in « Wucheng Loess »), truncated paleosoils with carbonate nodules, run-off products and scarce true loess in situ ; 4. During the elaboration of these loess complexes, morphogenesis has been very active, mainly under the form of valley cutting, especially during Lishi period ; 5. Malan Loess has been deposited, as true aeolian material, just after a period of fluvial aggradation in the region of Datong (Shanxi). Climate was even more continental than the present one, with very severe winters. Permafrost has been recognized near Datong. Chinese scientists consider that, during each of the two last colder periods, before 26 000 BP and after 22 000 BP, the Winter Monsoon high pressures had a greater extension towards E.S.-E. than presently. In the Ordos region, Shaanxi Province, wind blown sand merges in an interstratified alternance of sand and loess layers and, further E.S.-E., in pure loess.