Khin Yi, the chair of the political party backed by Myanmar’s military, on Tuesday joined an online discussion organized by the largest political party in Russia, United Russia, to discuss how Russia and Southeast Asia could team up to create global justice.
Khin Yi, who chairs the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), was joined by the leaders of other political parties in the region at the virtual talks, including party leaders from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The talks were called “Role of Responsible Political Forces of Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Shaping a New Just World Order.”
Participants included United Russia chair Dmitry Medvedev, Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith, former prime minister of Cambodia and Cambodia People’s Party chair Hun Sen, Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party leader Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Malaysia’s United Malays National Organization party general secretary Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, Indonesia’s Golkar Party vice chair Dave Laksono and Communist Party of Vietnam international relations department head Le Hoai Trung.
Khin Yi called for cooperation among like-minded countries to create a multipolar, global system.
The former brigadier-general was an immigration minister in Min Aung Hlaing’s regime before his promotion to the chairmanship of the USDP. Created by former generals, the USDP has only won a single election, in 2010, largely because it rigged the vote, and the National League for Democracy (NLD) boycotted the poll.
The USDP was thrashed by the NLD in two subsequent general elections, in 2015 and 2020, and in a by-election in 2012.
Thanks to United Russia, the USDP did get some new photographs for Facebook propaganda.
United Russia, however, may be unaware that Khin Yi does not have the sort of background usually associated with that of a global statesman. He was the chief of police under former dictator Than Shwe and immigration minister in the quasi-civilian government led by ex-general Thein Sein. He organized pro-military rallies before and after the 2021 coup, while denouncing the NLD, which won the election.
Khin Yi was subsequently appointed immigration minister in Min Aung Hlaing’s regime, and became the USDP chair near the end of 2022 as the regime was busy preparing for its proposed poll.
As ties between the regime and Moscow strengthened, the USDP and United Russia established party-to-party relations.
United Russia has sponsored the visits of some USDP members to Russia. Senior Russian officials have also visited the USDP headquarters in Naypyitaw to discuss fostering ties between the USDP and United Russia. They include Sholban Kara-Ool, deputy chairman of the State Duma, Russia’s Lower House – which is dominated by United Russia – vice chairman of the Russia-Myanmar Friendship Association, Alexander Ostrovskiy, and Russia’s former ambassador to Myanmar.
When the regime formed a new election body following its putsch, former Major-General Thein Soe was appointed its chairman. He oversaw the 2010 general elections in which the USDP won with “early votes that arrived after polling stations were closed” and annulled the results of the 2020 election. He also dissolved the NLD.
The junta’s election body also promulgated a new political parties registration law that heavily favors the USDP.
Last week, Russia’s new Ambassador to Myanmar, Kskander Azizov, met Thein Soe in Naypyitaw where they discussed cooperation between the election bodies of both countries. He invited Thein Soe to observe Russia’s presidential election scheduled for March.
