Vietnam and Myanmar agree to deepen defense ties during Min Aung Hlaing visit

Vietnam and Myanmar are elevating defense and security cooperation to a pillar of their bilateral relationship as Vietnamese leader To Lam hosts Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing in Hanoi.

The two leaders agreed on Sept. 5 to expand military training, exchanges between young officers, search-and-rescue operations and disaster response. They also pledged to improve information sharing and coordination against crime, according to a government statement.

“Vietnam stands ready to share its experience in national development, ensuring economic security and fostering sustainable growth,” Lam said during the talks, according to the statement. Both sides also reaffirmed that neither country would allow individuals or organizations to use its territory for activities directed against the other.

The visit marked Min Aung Hlaing’s first official trip to Vietnam as Myanmar’s president. The two governments said they would build political trust through more high-level exchanges and make fuller use of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

The talks also covered trade, investment and industrial cooperation. Vietnam and Myanmar identified opportunities in high-tech agriculture, food processing, telecommunications, information technology, digital transformation, energy and transport infrastructure. They pledged closer coordination through ASEAN and Mekong subregional frameworks, while reaffirming support for peace, stability and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

During a visit to northern Vietnam on Sept. 4, Min Aung Hlaing toured a VinFast electric-vehicle factory and the telecommunications company Viettel. The visits highlighted Myanmar’s interest in expanding cooperation with Vietnam in technology, telecommunications and industrial development.

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Vietnam stands ready to share its experience in national development, ensuring economic security and fostering sustainable growth.