In a significant diplomatic engagement, Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing convened in Hà Nội on September 5, agreeing to bolster bilateral ties and broaden cooperation across various sectors. This meeting marked Min Aung Hlaing’s inaugural visit to Vietnam in his new capacity, where Hưng reaffirmed Vietnam’s backing for Myanmar’s pursuits of stability, reconciliation, dialogue, and economic growth. The mutual commitment to fortifying their countries’ relationship was a focal point of the discussions.
Praising Vietnam’s socio-economic progress and its expanding influence both regionally and globally, Min Aung Hlaing expressed a keen interest in learning from Vietnam’s development experiences. He reiterated Myanmar’s dedication to maintaining a longstanding friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam. Both leaders acknowledged recent advancements in their bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of enhancing high-level exchanges to build political trust, while also advocating for the renewal of key cooperation mechanisms in trade, security, and defense.
Defense and security collaboration emerged as a potential cornerstone of the relationship, with plans to intensify efforts against cross-border crime, cybercrime, online fraud, and drug trafficking. The two countries intend to expand military training, facilitate young officer exchanges, and collaborate on non-traditional security challenges. Economic cooperation was also highlighted, with both sides agreeing to explore avenues to boost trade and update existing agreements related to trade, investment, and customs. Myanmar encouraged Vietnamese investment in diverse sectors such as telecommunications, digital transformation, high-tech agriculture, aquaculture, food processing, irrigation, and infrastructure.
The discussions also touched on improving infrastructure and air connectivity, with both leaders advocating for the restoration of direct flights and the development of joint tourism initiatives, including spiritual and medical tourism. On regional matters, Vietnam pledged to continue collaborating with ASEAN members to foster dialogue and constructive engagement with Myanmar, with both nations supporting the peaceful resolution of disputes in line with international law.
In a gesture of continued diplomatic engagement, Hưng extended an invitation to Min Aung Hlaing to participate in the upcoming CLMV Summit and to chair the ACMECS Summit in Hà Nội in November 2026. In return, the Myanmar president invited Hưng to visit Myanmar at a mutually convenient time, underscoring the commitment to deepening their bilateral relationship.