Abstract: Changes in land use have posed a great challenge to the development and protection of national land space in the border areas. Taking the China-Vietnam border areas in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region as the research object, an evaluation index system was constructed in this study to deduce the multifunctional system of land utilization using “elements-structure-space-function” of the production-living-ecosystem space (PLE). The dynamic index and transition matrix model were applied to analyze the PLE evolution of the spatial pattern from 2000 to 2018. TOPSIS method and the obstacle model were adopted to measure the multifunctional level, further to diagnose the main obstacle factors. The results showed that: 1) The evolution speed of PLE spatial pattern changed from mild to accelerated fluctuation, indicating an obvious periodic characteristic . Specifically, a slow evolution period was from 2000 to 2010, while an accelerated period was from 2010 to 2018. The spatial comprehensive dynamic index of PLE increased from 0.07 to 0.20, where the mutual transfer area between spaces of the PLE was totaled 85 218.32 hm2. The production space and living space increased by 1 145.92 hm2, and 3 166.77 hm2, respectively. The area of ecosystem space decreased by 4 312.69 hm2. There was a much more violent evolution of land use pattern at all county-level, including Pingxiang City, Dongxing City and Fangcheng District, indicating relatively high urbanization and frequent border trade in the middle-southeast area. 2) Functional level for the land use of the PLE improved relatively fast. Specifically, the functional level of life was the highest with the comprehensive appraisal index of 0.86, increasing by 0.71 compared with 2000. The functional level of the production was listed as the second, with the comprehensive appraisal index increased by 0.26. The functional level of the ecosystem was the lowest, with the comprehensive appraisal index increased by 0.13. There was obvious fluctuation for the functional level of the production and ecosystem. The multifunctional level of land utilization increased from 0.32 to 0.68. The multifunction of the land utilization in counties and cities changed from the low level and large gap to relatively balanced, representing “two cores and two subs” pattern. There were the same characteristics in the pattern evolution of the land utilization and multifunctional change. 3) The main obstacle factors included resource elements layout, economic development level, ecological environment quality, and border trade. In the function of life, the main obstacle factors were the low richness of tourism resources and low average tourism income in different areas. In the function of production, the main obstacle factors were the low investment in urban fixed assets and low average foreign trade in different areas. In the function of ecosystem, the main obstacle factors were the decreased forest coverage and insufficient capacity for sewage treatment. A recommendation was made to optimize the tourism resources layout, regional economic integration, and the construction of ecological civilization for a better multifunctional effect on the land utilization of the PLE in the China-Vietnam border areas.