Link to article: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-myanmar-agree-deepen-defence-ties-during-min-aung-hlaing-visit-2026-09-05/
On September 4, Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing visited Hanoi to meet To Lam. They agreed to increase defence and cooperate with each other on security such as search-and-rescue operations, disaster response, and crime enforcement. Following this, both sides agreed to not allow any organisation or individual to use one’s territory for malicious intent. Overall, Vietnam and Myanmar have expanded economic relations to each other, in industries like agriculture, technology, food processing, telecommunications, and transport infrastructure after visiting a factory in northern Vietnam. Both men also agreed for more involvement in ASEAN to support peace and stability within the South China sea.
This article is important because it further shows the shift from isolationism to regionalization within ASEAN, with this visit bringing more interdependence in the region. This also shows the legitimacy of the new government in Myanmar and their efforts to conduct trade and relations after the coup and overthrow in 2021 following the elections which established a new government, and a work around for the sanctions placed by western states. This partnership also demonstrates a push away from dependence on the United States within Southeast Asia and cooperation between each state. My thoughts on this are that this is Myanmar trying to circumvent the sanctions due to human rights violations. Stakeholders in Myanmar could view this as a win to hopefully bypass and push the legitimacy of Min Aung Hlaing while stakeholders in Vietnam could be wary about this due to Myanmar being highly volatile and unstable. However, stakeholders with different opinions and views in Vietnam could view this as a strategic development in Vietnam’s personal interests in sectors of development, as both of them agreed to push trade to a $1 billion target to improve economic sectors. Other stakeholders, such as ASEAN or transnational corporations could view Vietnam as helping Myanmar conduct diplomatic relations while still under civil war, opening trade for Myanmar.
This is connected to the material being discussed in class because the partnership was established to help settle global challenges that a state could face such as environmental, economic, and violence. The visit led to deeper bonds between both states, with the overall consensus that this was to cooperate and help prevent these challenges from furthering. Another connection to this is with IGOs, as another result from this was the agreement to contribute more to ASEAN, an economic IGO in Southeast Asia. This also helps to establish the legitimacy of Min Aung Hlaing as the process of electing him had been severely controversial due to it being through a coup.