Story perspectives

Vietnam and Myanmar expand defense ties amid ASEAN sanctions

9/6/2026

Summary

Hlaing Visits Vietnam

Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing visited Vietnam for a three-day official trip on September 4-6, 2026.
Bilateral trade hit US$336 million in the first half of 2026, a 26% rise from 2025.
The leaders agreed to expand defense cooperation covering officer training, disaster response and joint anti-crime actions.
Vietnam has 107 active projects in Myanmar worth US$1.4 billion, and pledged deeper economic ties in telecom and agriculture.

Summary

ASEAN Bars Hlaing

Justice for Myanmar accuses Vietnam of funding the junta’s war crimes through Mytel’s revenue and surveillance tech.
ASEAN bars commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing from summits until the Five-Point Consensus is fully implemented.
The International Court of Justice is reviewing Myanmar’s 2017 Rohingya crackdown as possible genocide, implicating Hlaing.
Myanmar diaspora protesters demonstrated outside Thai embassies in London, Seoul and Tokyo against the regime’s regional visits.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Vietnam became ASEAN’s seventh member on 28 July, and the Bangkok summit that December reaffirmed non-interference while advancing economic integration. The 2026 visit by Myanmar’s commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing revives the 1995 push but tests the regional non-interference rule amid ongoing human-rights pressure, and highlights ASEAN’s struggle to enforce broader compliance.

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Hlaing Visits Vietnam

Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing visited Vietnam for a three-day official trip on September 4-6, 2026.
Bilateral trade hit US$336 million in the first half of 2026, a 26% rise from 2025.
The leaders agreed to expand defense cooperation covering officer training, disaster response and joint anti-crime actions.
Vietnam has 107 active projects in Myanmar worth US$1.4 billion, and pledged deeper economic ties in telecom and agriculture.

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