Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Myanmar’s military-backed leader, Min Aung Hlaing, arrived in Cambodia on Friday for a two-day visit, aiming to bolster his government's standing within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The visit marks a significant step in his ongoing effort to restore diplomatic ties and gain international legitimacy after seizing power in a 2021 coup.
Since being sworn in as president in April, Min Aung Hlaing has intensified his diplomatic engagements. This trip to Cambodia is his fourth visit to an ASEAN member state as he endeavors to rebuild regional connections that fractured after he ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Previously, he has traveled to India, China, Laos, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, and Vietnam, engaging with leaders and promoting investment opportunities.
Min Aung Hlaing faced extensive diplomatic isolation after the 2021 takeover and was barred from high-level ASEAN meetings. This exclusion stemmed from his failure to adhere to the bloc's peace roadmap for Myanmar, which stipulated an end to violence, dialogue among all parties, mediation by an ASEAN envoy, humanitarian aid, and access for the envoy to engage relevant stakeholders.
Cambodia has played a notable role in past ASEAN initiatives concerning Myanmar. In 2022, then-Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw, meeting with Min Aung Hlaing in an attempt to revive peace talks. This visit made Hun Sen the first foreign leader to visit Myanmar after the military coup.
However, the visit has drawn criticism from exile-based Cambodian opposition groups and human rights organizations. The Khmer Movement for Democracy condemned the visit, asserting that it should not provide Min Aung Hlaing a way to circumvent ASEAN's diplomatic pressure. Mu Sochua, president of the movement, stated that Min Aung Hlaing lacks the democratic legitimacy implied by such a reception.
Fortify Rights urged Cambodia to cancel the visit, arguing that it would grant political legitimacy to Myanmar's military leader. The organization also called for Cambodian authorities to arrest Min Aung Hlaing and hand him over to the International Criminal Court, should an arrest warrant be issued. The court's prosecutor had previously requested an arrest warrant against him in 2024 for alleged crimes against humanity related to the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar.
Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to meet with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, Prime Minister Hun Manet, and other senior officials during his stay in Phnom Penh.