Japan: Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar brings ‘progress’

Fostering ties: Hun Sen (centre) presiding over an exchanging of documents ceremony between chief representative of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency to Cambodia Haruko Kamei (left) and Cambodia’s Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth in Phnom Penh as part of a Covid-19 crisis response package loan. — AFP

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi commended a recent visit by Cambodian leader Hun Sen to Myanmar, which was the first by a foreign leader since the military coup in February.

In a phone call with his counterpart Prak Sokhonn on Tuesday, Hayashi said he remained concerned about violence in Myanmar, and welcomed Cambodia’s positive efforts to resolve the situation, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Hun Sen’s trip resulted in progress toward a ceasefire with ethnic minority groups and enabling humanitarian support, Hayashi added. While Japan has called on the junta to stop the violence and restore democracy, it wants to remain close to Myanmar to protect significant investments in industries ranging from consumer goods to banking.

Japan’s support of Cambodia’s growing engagement with the junta since it assumed the rotating chair of Asean signals that some US allies were uneasy with shutting out Myanmar for fear this would draw the country closer to China.

Hun Sen’s two-day visit drew widespread criticism that it would legitimise the rule of the junta, which has been engaged in intensifying battles with armed groups.

The strongman, who has ruled Cambodia for 36 years after a bloody civil war, has said his visit aimed to help put an end to the violence in Myanmar.

Hun Sen did not get to meet deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been sentenced to jail for six years for inciting dissent against the military.

Instead, he shared his “win-win policy” on achieving peace with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, who agreed to allow a special Asean envoy to visit the country, Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry said.

While Hun Sen has brushed aside suggestions from some Asean countries on how to handle Myanmar, he now appears to be looking for some consensus.

After his visit to Myanmar, Hun Sen said Asean members should create a diplomatic troika consisting of Cambodia, Brunei and Indonesia to follow through with the ceasefire in Myanmar, the Phnom Penh Post reported. — Bloomberg