Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing Visits Cambodia in Push for Regional Reintegration

Myanmar's President Min Aung Hlaing travelled to Cambodia on Friday for talks with the country's leadership, continuing an effort to rebuild relations with fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after years of diplomatic isolation.

State broadcaster footage showed Min Aung Hlaing being received by Cambodian officials at Techo International Airport, where the national flags of both countries were raised and a crowd waved flags as his motorcade departed.

In Phnom Penh, he was warmly welcomed by Hun Sen, Cambodia's acting head of state and the father of Prime Minister Hun Manet. The two men embraced at the start of an official state welcome ceremony, stood at attention for both national anthems and inspected an honour guard before greeting officials from the two countries and walking together hand in hand.

The visit is Min Aung Hlaing's fourth to an ASEAN member state as he seeks to restore his standing within the 11-member bloc, which includes both Myanmar and Cambodia. He took power in February 2021 while serving as army chief, ousting the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, and was subsequently barred from top-level ASEAN meetings for failing to comply with the bloc's peace plan for Myanmar.

Since being sworn in as president in April, following an election that critics say was designed to entrench the military's hold on power, Min Aung Hlaing has stepped up engagements aimed at normalising diplomatic relations and securing international legitimacy. His recent travels have taken him to India, China, Laos, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia and, most recently, Vietnam, where he met leaders and sought foreign investment through business forums.

Critics warn that the Cambodian visit could weaken ASEAN's collective efforts to address Myanmar's conflicts.