Myanmar’s president Min Aung Hlaing will travel to Vietnam this weekend, continuing a diplomatic push to re‑engage the region after years of isolation.

State media in both countries confirmed he will be in Hanoi from 4 to 6 September at the invitation of Vietnamese president To Lam. Talks are scheduled with Vietnam’s prime minister and the head of the National Assembly, alongside a Myanmar‑Vietnam business forum and visits to technology industries.

The trip marks his seventh foreign visit since assuming the presidency in April, following tightly controlled elections dismissed abroad as a sham. In recent months he has already visited Thailand, Laos, India, China and Russia, signalling a determined effort to secure legitimacy and economic partnerships. His August trip to Moscow included meetings with Vladimir Putin and agreements on energy cooperation, while his Bangkok visit centred on labour and trade ties.

Min Aung Hlaing seized power in 2021 as army chief, ousting Aung San Suu Kyi and plunging Myanmar into civil war. More than 100,000 people are estimated to have died in the conflict. Despite his international tour, ASEAN continues to bar Myanmar’s political representatives from its summits, citing the junta’s failure to implement the bloc’s peace plan.

For Vietnam, the visit offers a chance to deepen economic links with a neighbour rich in resources but mired in turmoil. For Myanmar, it is another step in a campaign to shed pariah status and present its leadership as a legitimate partner on the regional stage.

-2026-09-02

If ASEAN have "blocked" him as not recognised, why in hell are politicians from other ASEAN countries welcoming him with open arms? We stand united but we'll do sly deals on the quiet 🤫 - so two faced!