The military government of Myanmar is set to send a high-ranking official to the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders’ summit in Laos, diplomatic sources revealed on Tuesday. The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday in Vientiane, marks a critical development in the ongoing regional efforts to address Myanmar’s internal conflict and its broader geopolitical challenges. This will be the first regular ASEAN summit attended by Myanmar since the country’s military coup in February 2021.
Myanmar’s decision to participate in the summit represents a significant shift in its diplomatic approach, as it attempts to regain a foothold within the regional bloc. The junta had previously boycotted ASEAN meetings since October 2021, after the regional body chose to allow only a non-political representative to attend, effectively sidelining the junta chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. According to diplomatic sources, Myanmar will be represented by Aung Kyaw Moe, the permanent secretary of the Foreign Ministry, during this week’s discussions.
The upcoming ASEAN summit is seen as a major test of the bloc’s unity and effectiveness, as it grapples with the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and rising tensions in the South China Sea. Myanmar’s internal instability, marked by increasing clashes between the military junta and ethnic rebel groups, has posed a significant challenge to ASEAN’s central principle of non-interference in member states’ domestic affairs. How ASEAN handles Myanmar’s participation in this summit could set a precedent for its future approach to internal conflicts within member states.
Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the country has been embroiled in political turmoil. The junta, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, ousted the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking widespread protests and violent crackdowns. The coup triggered international condemnation, sanctions, and a rise in internal opposition forces, including both civilian militias and ethnic rebel groups.
ASEAN has struggled to formulate a unified response to the crisis in Myanmar, given its policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of its member states. However, the severity of the situation has put unprecedented pressure on the bloc to take a more active role. In October 2021, ASEAN decided to exclude Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing from high-level meetings, offering Myanmar only a non-political representation. The junta responded by boycotting ASEAN summits and sidelining regional dialogue efforts.
Myanmar’s participation in this week’s meeting, through Aung Kyaw Moe, could signal a new chapter in its engagement with the regional body. Nonetheless, the situation remains fragile, with the junta continuing to lose ground against opposition forces.
The Myanmar military has been locked in an intense struggle against opposition forces, including the People’s Defense Force (PDF) — a civilian militia formed in response to the coup — and ethnic minority rebel groups. The conflict has escalated in recent months, with a coordinated offensive launched by three major ethnic rebel groups last year leading to significant losses for the junta.
This armed resistance, combined with widespread civil disobedience, has severely hampered the junta’s ability to govern the country effectively. Numerous regions across Myanmar, particularly in ethnic minority areas, have fallen out of the military’s control. The Karen National Union (KNU), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and the Chin National Front (CNF) have all intensified their attacks against the junta, further weakening its grip on power.
Despite these challenges, the junta has maintained its authoritarian rule, continuing to imprison political opponents and crack down on any form of dissent. Aung San Suu Kyi, who led Myanmar’s government before the coup, remains under house arrest and faces multiple charges that have been widely condemned as politically motivated.
The military’s growing isolation on the international stage has also complicated its ability to secure crucial support, both economically and militarily. Western nations, including the United States and European Union, have imposed sanctions, cutting off access to international financial systems. Meanwhile, China and Russia have provided limited diplomatic and military backing, but not enough to counterbalance the junta’s internal struggles.
ASEAN has long prided itself on fostering peace and cooperation among its ten member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. However, the situation in Myanmar has exposed cracks in the bloc’s unity. Member states have been divided on how to address the crisis, with some calling for stronger measures, while others have advocated for maintaining ASEAN’s traditional stance of non-interference.
Indonesia, currently one of ASEAN’s most vocal members, has pushed for a more robust response to the Myanmar crisis, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution and humanitarian aid. On the other hand, countries like Cambodia and Laos have taken a more conciliatory approach, prioritizing engagement with the junta over punitive measures.
Laos, which holds the rotating chair of ASEAN this year, has hosted several key meetings with Myanmar’s military government in recent months, including ASEAN’s foreign and defense ministerial talks earlier this year. These meetings have been criticized by some as giving undue legitimacy to the junta, while others see them as necessary steps in keeping dialogue open.
As Myanmar returns to the ASEAN summit for the first time since the coup, questions remain about whether the bloc can present a unified front. The stakes are high, as ASEAN’s credibility on the global stage is increasingly tied to how it handles the Myanmar issue.
