Myanmar’s military-backed government leader Min Aung Hlaing has arrived in Cambodia for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), amid concerns that the trip could undermine the bloc’s efforts to address Myanmar’s ongoing conflicts.
Min Aung Hlaing has stepped up diplomatic engagements in recent months as he seeks to normalise relations with regional governments and gain greater international legitimacy.
He became Myanmar’s president in April following an election that critics described as an effort to consolidate the military’s grip on power.
His latest regional outreach comes after years of diplomatic isolation following the military’s February 2021 takeover, when he was serving as army chief and ousted the government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Friday’s visit marks Min Aung Hlaing’s fourth trip to an ASEAN member state as he seeks to improve his standing within the 11-member regional bloc, which includes both Myanmar and Cambodia.
Following the 2021 coup, Min Aung Hlaing was excluded from top-level ASEAN meetings after failing to comply with the bloc’s peace plan for Myanmar.
The five-point plan called for an end to violence, dialogue among all sides, mediation by an ASEAN envoy, humanitarian assistance and access for the envoy to meet all relevant parties.
In his inauguration speech in April, Min Aung Hlaing pledged to restore normal engagement with ASEAN and strengthen Myanmar’s international relations.
Myanmar’s state-run MRTV television reported that he left Naypyitaw on Friday morning for Cambodia.
During his two-day visit, he is expected to meet Cambodian Senate president Hun Sen and other senior officials.
Cambodia previously played a significant role in ASEAN’s efforts to address Myanmar’s crisis. In 2022, then-Prime Minister Hun Sen, who was serving as ASEAN’s rotating chair, travelled to Naypyitaw and met Min Aung Hlaing in an attempt to revive peace talks.
The visit made Hun Sen the first foreign leader to travel to Myanmar following the military takeover.
However, the latest visit has drawn criticism from Cambodian opposition groups and human rights organisations.
The Khmer Movement for Democracy (KMD), a group formed by Cambodian opposition leaders in exile, said Min Aung Hlaing’s trip should not become a way for him to bypass ASEAN’s diplomatic pressure.
“Min Aung Hlaing cannot be allowed to use Phnom Penh as a diplomatic back door into ASEAN,” KMD president Mu Sochua said.
She also argued that Min Aung Hlaing lacked the democratic legitimacy implied by the official welcome of a head of state.
Human rights organisation Fortify Rights separately called on Cambodia to cancel the visit, warning that hosting the Myanmar leader could give him political legitimacy.
The group also urged Cambodian authorities to arrest Min Aung Hlaing and surrender him to the International Criminal Court if an arrest warrant is issued.
The call comes after the ICC prosecutor requested an arrest warrant against Min Aung Hlaing in 2024 over alleged crimes against humanity committed against Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar.
Min Aung Hlaing has also travelled to countries including India, China, Laos, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia and Vietnam as part of his efforts to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties and attract foreign investment.
