Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing travels to Vietnam to court ASEAN ties and investors
Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Hanoi for talks aimed at normalising Myanmar's relations with ASEAN and attracting foreign investment.
Myanmar's military ruler Min Aung Hlaing landed in Vietnam for a diplomatic mission focused on repairing ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and drawing investment. In Hanoi he is set to meet President To Lam and Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, reviewing trade that fell from $853 million in 2020 to $590 million in 2025 and $335 million in early 2026. The visit follows a series of trips to regional powers since his April swearing-in as president.
He will also attend a business forum with cabinet members to promote investment opportunities. Vietnam’s long-standing defence cooperation, including Viettel’s stake in Myanmar telecoms firm Mytel, underpins the talks. The outreach seeks to end Myanmar’s diplomatic isolation after the 2021 coup that led to sanctions and a civil conflict.
Why it matters
The trip signals Myanmar's attempt to re-enter regional diplomacy and revive trade amid international isolation.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTBoth camps report Min Aung Hlaing's Vietnam visit as a diplomatic effort to restore ASEAN ties and attract investment, but left-leaning coverage stresses criticism of the junta’s election as a sham, while centrist coverage frames the trip as a “comeback tour” and highlights activist accusations against Vietnam.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage highlights the junta’s push to normalize relations and draw investment while underscoring criticism that the April election was engineered to cement military power.
CENTER
Centrist coverage portrays the trip as a diplomatic comeback tour aimed at boosting political and business ties, noting Vietnam’s continued investment and activist criticism of Vietnam’s role.
The left emphasises
- repairing ties with ASEAN and attracting foreign investment
- critics say the April election was designed to cement the military’s hold on power
- declining trade figures since the 2021 coup
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