Archive · 4 Sep 2026
Myanmar Leader Begins Vietnam Visit Seeking Economic and Regional Ties
Myanmar’s leader, Min Aung Hlaing, is visiting Vietnam for three days.
He wants Myanmar and Vietnam to work more closely together.
During the visit, he is expected to meet people from Viettel, a Vietnamese telecommunications and defence company.
Viettel already has telecommunications operations in Myanmar.
He is also scheduled to visit a factory that makes VinFast electric cars.
The two countries may discuss telecoms, cars, farming, consumer goods, investment, and fighting crime.
Min Aung Hlaing will meet Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam.
The trip also gives Myanmar a chance to build more regional connections while ASEAN excludes its political representatives from summits over its failure to follow a peace plan.
Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing began a three-day visit to Vietnam on Friday, September 4.
He was expected to meet executives of Viettel, Vietnam’s defence ministry-owned telecommunications and defence corporation.
His schedule also included a visit to a northern Vietnamese factory producing VinFast electric vehicles.
The visit aims to strengthen Myanmar-Vietnam political and economic cooperation, including telecoms and electric-vehicle manufacturing.
Min Aung Hlaing was expected to meet Vietnam’s top leader To Lam and attend a business forum.
- Who
- Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing and Vietnamese officials and business executives, including To Lam, Viettel executives, and VinFast representatives.
- What
- A three-day visit focused on strengthening political and economic ties between Myanmar and Vietnam.
- When
- The visit began on Friday, September 4.
- Where
- Vietnam, including Hanoi, a Viettel meeting, and a VinFast factory in northern Vietnam.
- Why
- Myanmar and Vietnam are seeking stronger economic and political cooperation, while Min Aung Hlaing is pursuing greater regional re-engagement and legitimacy.
- Visit length
- Three days
- Main business contacts
- Viettel and VinFast
- Viettel ownership
- Viettel is owned by Vietnam’s defence ministry.
- Potential cooperation areas
- Telecommunications, electric-vehicle manufacturing, agriculture, and essential consumer goods
- Expected agreements
- Non-binding agreements on fighting crime and promoting investment
- Scheduled leaders’ meeting
- Min Aung Hlaing is expected to meet Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam.
- Regional context
- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations bars Myanmar’s political representatives from its summits over the junta’s failure to implement its peace plan.