Myanmar military head visits Vietnam to normalize relations
Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing is visiting Vietnam to seek normalized relations and foreign investment. This trip is part of a broader diplomatic effort to re-engage with ASEAN members following his 2021 coup.
Why it matters
The visit highlights the ongoing diplomatic isolation of Myanmar's junta and its attempts to leverage regional economic ties to maintain power.
BANGKOK — The leader of Myanmar's military-backed government arrived Friday in Vietnam for talks with Vietnamese leaders in his latest effort to normalize relations with other Southeast Asian countries and attract foreign investment.
Min Aung Hlaing has stepped up his diplomatic engagements since he was sworn in as president in April following an election that critics say was designed to cement the military's hold on power.
The outreach is part of an attempt to rebuild regional ties that deteriorated after Min Aung Hlaing ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's government in February 2021 while serving as army chief.
Friday's trip marks Min Aung Hlaing's third visit to an Association of Southeast Asian Nations member state as he seeks to restore his standing within the 11-member bloc, to which Myanmar and Vietnam belong.
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