Myanmar’s President Tours Laos for New Deals amid Growing ASEAN Scepticism

Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing and First Lady Daw Kyu Kyu Hla visit Laos from July 3–5, 2026, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Myanmar–Laos diplomatic relations. (CNI Myanmar)

Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing paid a state visit to Vientiane from July 3 to 5, commencing his first series of official visits to an ASEAN member state. The visit was made at the invitation of Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith and coincided with the commemoration of 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Upon arriving at the Presidential Palace, Min and his delegation were greeted with a full ceremony by the guard of honour. Subsequently, the two leaders held bilateral talks to expand collaboration in socio-economic development, bilateral trade, border management, health, connectivity and transnational crime prevention.

During the talks, both nations also witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) across sister-city initiatives, tourism and Myanmar’s donation of antivenom to Laos. On the first day of his visit, President Min toured the Unknown Soldier Monument in Vientiane, laying a wreath as a tribute to heroes who contributed to the national liberation in a formal ceremony that was conducted with full state honour.

This bilateral visit aimed to foster cooperation between Vientiane and Naypyidaw. Sharing a 238-kilometre land border and forming part of the Golden Triangle, both countries have engaged in a fruitful relationship for over seven decades.

Both nations, along with Thailand, actively cooperate to secure their shared Mekong River border and address cross‑border challenges. Building on the Myanmar–Laos Strategic Cooperation Framework, this agreement has become an essential pillar of their partnership.

This development marks a significant bilateral milestone, strengthening trans-border economic and security cooperation. Yet beyond bilateral relationships, President Min’s political tour across the region signals an effort to strengthen external relations while simultaneously expressing scepticism towards the multilateralism mechanisms in ASEAN.

Just a day prior, on July 2, Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Myanmar’s parliament) declared an objection to the existence of the Five-Points Consensus (5PC), arguing that ASEAN violated the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, thus eroding the sovereignty of a nation.

President Min’s political tour across the region can be viewed both as an outreach and as a demonstration of distrust towards ASEAN as a multilateral platform.