Hun Sen says his Myanmar trip managed to plant trees, not cut them down

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen (right) shaking hands with Myanmar military chief Min Aung Hlaing during in Naypyidaw on Jan 8, 2022. - NATIONAL TELEVISION OF CAMBODIA/AFP

PHNOM PENH (The Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Network: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen maintained that his recent Myanmar visit managed to "plant trees, not cut them down", in an apparent response to critics including Malaysia's top diplomat.

Hun Sen made the remarks during a 35-minute phone call on Jan 21 with Indonesian President Joko Widodo about working together to move the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) forwards and exploring ways to address the prolonged Myanmar crisis. Cambodia is the current Asean chair.