Myanmar's Min Aung Hlaing set for Cambodia visit amid criticism

Min Aung Hlaing is expected to travel to Cambodia on September 11-12, according to sources familiar with the planned visit. The visit comes as Myanmar continues to grapple with widespread instability following the military's 2021 coup, which ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Human rights advocates and civil society groups have expressed concern about the visit, arguing that international travel by the military leader normalises his government and provides it with diplomatic legitimacy at a time when armed conflict persists across much of Myanmar. Since the coup, the country has seen escalating violence as resistance forces have mounted armed challenges to military rule.

The visit represents continued engagement between Myanmar's military administration and neighbouring ASEAN states. Cambodia currently holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has sought to maintain dialogue with Myanmar's military government despite international condemnation of its actions.

Activists have called for greater international pressure on Myanmar's military leadership over allegations of widespread human rights violations and the ongoing conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.