Myanmar's military chief Min Aung Hlaing has travelled to Vietnam in a bid to normalise relations and rebuild the junta's standing within ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a ten-member regional bloc). The visit marks his third trip to an ASEAN member state, reflecting the military government's sustained diplomatic push after being sidelined by the bloc following the 2021 coup. Restoring full engagement with ASEAN would grant the junta greater regional legitimacy at a time when it continues to face widespread international condemnation over its crackdown on domestic opposition.