Vietnam deepens Myanmar engagement with $1bn trade goal

International relationsFirst foreign minister visit since 2021 military takeover shows widening cooperationMyanmar President Min Aung Hlaing (right) welcomes Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung in Naypyidaw on Aug. 26 as the two countries seek closer economic ties.Nikkei staff writersAugust 27, 2026 16:51 JSTHANOI -- Myanmar and Vietnam agreed to boost annual bilateral trade by nearly 70% to $1 billion, the Vietnamese government said on Thursday, during the first bilateral visit by a Vietnamese foreign minister since the country's 2021 military takeover.