Myanmar military head visits Vietnam to normalize relations

In this photo released by Myanmar President Office, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, right, shakes hands with Commander-in-Chief Gen. Ye Win Oo, left, upon his departure to Vietnam, at the Naypyitaw international airport Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Myanmar President Office/AP hide caption

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.

Min Aung Hlaing faced years of diplomatic isolation following his 2021 takeover and was barred from top-level ASEAN meetings for failing to comply with a peace plan for Myanmar adopted by the bloc in April 2021.

He has traveled to India, China, Laos, Thailand and most recently Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia, where he met with leaders and sought to attract foreign investment through business forums.

State-run MRTV television said Min Aung Hlaing landed at Noi Bai International Airport in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, at noon.