Min Aung Hlaing to visit Laos on July 3

The Chairman of Myanmar’s military junta, Min Aung Hlaing, will visit Laos from July 3 to 5 at the invitation of Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, Vientiane Times reported, citing a statement from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Min Aung Hlaing will be accompanied by his wife and a high-level delegation during the visit. The visit is being held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Laos and Myanmar, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated. It also aims to further promote the existing close friendship, neighborly relations, and cooperation between the two countries. Laos and Myanmar established diplomatic relations in 1955 and have since maintained their relations and cooperation under bilateral, regional, and international frameworks, Vientiane Times wrote. According to Lao media, the state-level visit demonstrates the commitment of both countries to deepen cooperation and promote mutual understanding that benefits their peoples. A study released yesterday (June 29) regarding the Myanmar military junta stated that the junta is attempting to use international standards for combating money laundering to suppress political rivals and bring economic activities into the state banking system, according to a Singapore-based research group. There was also an incident where the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) bank accounts were frozen shortly after the military coup in 2021.