Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing touched down in Belarus on Wednesday, his second visit since March to a rare ally and key arms supplier of a regime that has killed over 6,000 civilians since the 2021 coup.
The regime boss attended the 4th Eurasian Economic Forum, while finding time to meet with Eurasian Economic Commission Chairman Bakytzhan Abdirovich Sagintayev and visit the Belmedpreparaty pharmaceutical factory in Minsk.
Belarusian President Lukashenko has also scheduled one-on-one talks with his key customer in Southeast Asia, while Min Aung Hlaing will stop off in Russia on his way home at the invitation of Buryatia Governor Alexey Tsydenov.
Tsydenov has been a good friend to the junta chief, visiting Myanmar last November to tour major tourist spots like Yangon, Chaungtha Beach and Bagan and also joining Min Aung Hlaing to celebrate the Tazaungdaing Festival.
He was sanctioned by the US in 2023 for forcibly conscripting citizens to fight Ukraine.
In March, Min Aung Hlaing chose Belarus to announce the timeframe for his so-called election. Minsk had already thrown its full support behind the military’s electoral charade, even promising to send monitoring teams to back the junta’s bogus claim of “free and fair” voting.
Independent observers have denounced the vote as a bid to legitimize military rule following a coup against the democratically elected government in 2021.
Belarus was one of only a handful of countries that refused to condemn the coup at the United Nations.
The junta opened a consulate in Minsk in 2023, with Ambassador Thit Linn Ohn presenting his credentials to Lukashenko on March 11 shortly after Min Aung Hlaing’s visit.
Belarus is now expanding its ties with the junta beyond arms sales to include trade, investment, and various other sectors.
Peace as a Puppet of China
Amid its escalating aerial campaign targeting rebel-held territories, Myanmar’s military regime is hosting a “Peace Forum” in Naypyitaw, from which armed groups actively fighting the regime are notably absent.
Addressing the forum, which kicked off on Wednesday, Myanmar junta boss Min Aung Hlaing insisted that Myanmar’s peace efforts must be free from foreign interference and disruptions.
At the forum, Min Aung Hlaing underscored the importance of maintaining harmonious ties with other countries, but warned against becoming influenced or dominated by them. However, many critics see his regime as a puppet of Beijing. Read more
Russia’s ASEAN Trade Hub?
As the military regime continues to grapple with international sanctions and economic isolation, it is actively courting investment from Russia.
During a recent trip to Russia, junta Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo outlined how Myanmar’s transport infrastructure, particularly its ports and railways, could serve as key hubs for transshipment of Russian goods to regional markets.
He emphasized that goods from Russia could be shipped through Yangon’s ports and further distributed by road and rail to other Southeast Asian destinations. Read more
Eyeing China, Myitsone, Solar as Blackouts Worsen
The regime’s energy czar travelled to China last week to seek investment in Myanmar’s electricity sector, as a worsening crisis left many areas of the country with just eight hours of supply per day.
Admiral Tin Aung San, who chairs the Electricity and Energy Development Commission, attended the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 29th China Kunming Import and Export Fair from June 17-20 in Kunming, at the invitation of Yunnan authorities.
During the trip, he met with Chinese energy firms including Union Resource and Engineering and SPIC Yunnan International Power Investment (SPICYN). Read more
