BANGKOK (AP) — The leader of Myanmar’s military-backed government is visiting Vietnam for talks with its leaders in his latest effort to normalize relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and attract foreign investment.
Min Aung Hlaing has stepped up diplomatic engagements since he was sworn in as president in April following an election that critics say was designed to cement the military’s hold on power.
Since taking office, he has traveled to India, China, Laos, Thailand and most recently Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia, where he met with leaders and sought to draw foreign investment through business forums.
Vietnam has maintained longstanding military ties with Myanmar, including defense cooperation and the involvement of Viettel, Vietnam’s military-run telecommunications group, in Mytel, one of Myanmar’s major telecom operators, which has military-linked ownership.
Economic ties, however, have weakened, with bilateral trade falling from $853 million in 2020 to $590 million in 2025 and $335 million in the first half of 2026, figures Min Aung Hlaing shared with Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung when they met in Myanmar in late August, according to Vietnam’s foreign ministry.
State-run MRTV television said Min Aung Hlaing departed on a flight from the capital, Naypyitaw, Friday morning.
In Hanoi, Min Aung Hlaing is expected to meet Vietnamese President To Lam and other senior officials and attend a business forum with members of his Cabinet.
The diplomatic outreach is the latest in a series of moves to reengage with countries in the region and the international community after relations became frayed or frosty following Min Aung Hlaing’s ousting of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in February 2021 while serving as army chief.
Friday’s visit marks Min Aung Hlaing’s third visit to an ASEAN member state as he seeks to restore his standing within the 11-member bloc, of which Myanmar and Vietnam are members.
He faced years of diplomatic isolation following his 2021 takeover and was barred from top-level ASEAN meetings for failing to comply with a peace plan agreed upon in April 2021.
Western governments have shunned and sanctioned Min Aung Hlaing and his associates for overthrowing Suu Kyi’s government. Subsequent serious rights violations followed a deadly military crackdown on protests, which subsequently triggered a nationwide armed resistance movement and a bloody civil war.
In this photo released by Myanmar President Office, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, left, and his wife Kyu Kyu Hla wave upon his departure to Vietnam, at the Naypyitaw international airport Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (Myanmar President Office via AP)
In this photo released by Myanmar President Office, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, right, shakes hands with Lower House Speaker Khin Yi, second left, upon his departure to Vietnam, at the Naypyitaw international airport Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (Myanmar President Office via AP)
In this photo released by Myanmar President Office, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, right, shakes hands with Commander-in-Chief Gen. Ye Win Oo, left, upon his departure to Vietnam, at the Naypyitaw international airport Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (Myanmar President Office via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Eala and her fans are headed to the weekend at the U.S. Open, along with two-time champion Naomi Osaka and 2023 winner Coco Gauff.
So are Madison Keys and men's top seed Alexander Zverev — just barely — but not No. 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime, who became the highest-seeded player knocked out of the tournament thus far. No. 6 Alex de Minaur losing in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp made it four of the top-10 seeded men's players to get eliminated before the third round.
Zverev survived another early scare, but nothing about his second match was easy. He needed five sets and more than 4 1/2 hours to beat Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-3 in the nightcap that stretched well into Friday morning.
Osaka recovered after a mid-match lapse to advance to the third round with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Katerina Siniakova on Thursday, before Eala beat Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4.
Doubles play also began, though Serena and Venus Williams won’t play their first-round match until Friday night against Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, who beat Serena in singles play at Wimbledon this summer.
Eala, the No. 17 seed from the Philippines, gave her passionate backers reason to cheer immediately by winning the first nine points against her Ukrainian opponent, who had won their only previous meeting.
“I think everybody represents something in their own way; I’m Filipino and I proudly represent that,” Eala said. “And a lot of the crowd here today is Filipino and I’m sure they share in that sentiment.”
Osaka wore silver and white under her long white jacket with a white visor as she arrived for her match in Arthur Ashe Stadium, three days after she was dressed in black with her hair done in cornrows under a headband in a tribute to former NBA superstar Allen Iverson for her opener at night.
The No. 13 seed won the first set in 30 minutes and then opened a 4-2 lead in the second. But her level of play took a substantial dip, with 20 unforced errors in the set after only four in the first.
Osaka quickly regained control, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the third before finishing a 19-shot rally with a volley for a winner en route to taking the next game, appearing more relieved than excited by her nice touch.
“The match was definitely really tough and I don’t know, I just felt like I had to fight,” Osaka said. “I definitely had a couple opportunities in the second set and I think I was a little bit too hard on myself. So I took the bathroom break, regrouped a little, came back and just tried to have no regrets.”
Auger-Aliassime said he was feeling dizzy and seeing spots and couldn't recover, falling to Karen Khachanov 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
“Karen is a great player. Look, I cannot beat him or anybody in this draw feeling the way I felt today,” the Canadian said. “If I cannot move, we’re not talking about tennis here.”
The highest seed to fall so far had been No. 4 Novak Djokovic, who lost in the first round at the U.S. Open for the first time in the 24-time Grand Slam champion's career.
Keys, the 2017 runner-up, also was on the verge of an early exit before erasing five match points and edging Anna Bondar 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (10-5).
“That was something, huh? No stress, though, we all knew I had it right?” Keys joked to the fans afterward.
Other winners included 2022 champion Iga Swiatek and 2025 runner-up Amanda Anisimova. Taylor Fritz, the 2024 men's runner-up, eased to 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Mattia Bellucci, while fifth-seeded Flavio Cobolli defeated Tristan Schoolkate 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
Gauff, who won her first major title at Flushing Meadows three years ago, moved on by beating Paula Badosa 6-4, 7-6 (5) under the lights on Ashe. Badosa was playing for a third consecutive day, forced to finish her first-round match Wednesday after play was suspended Tuesday because of rain that hampered the tournament for multiple days.
“Paula's a tough player,” Gauff said. “I don't think there was too much I did wrong. I feel like she really stepped it up.”
Zverev was hoping for an easier time after needing five sets to edge Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday. Instead, he became the first top-seeded man to play back-to-back five-set matches to start a major in the Open Era, which dates to 1968.
Spending more than nine hours on the court through two rounds, Zverev avoided the earliest exit by a No. 1 seed since Andre Agassi in 2000. Concluding at 2:15 a.m., it is the second-latest second-round finish in U.S. Open history.
Before the clock struck midnight, Gael Monfils lost to No. 14 Learner Tien in what is expected to be the 40-year-old Frenchman's final Grand Slam match before calling it a career.
AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Alexander Zverev, of Germany, hits a return to Quentin Halys, of France, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, returns the ball to Karen Khachanov, of Russia, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Coco Gauff, of the United States, celebrates during the second set of her match against Paula Badosa, of Spain, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Alexandra Eala, of the Philippines, gestures after she won her match against Oleksandra Oliynykova, of Ukraine, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, falls as he tries to return the ball to Rinky Hijikata, of Australia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Madison Keys, of the United States, celebrates after she defeated Anna Bondar, of Hungary, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, hands off her arrival outfit ahead of a match against Katerina Siniakova, of the Czech Republic, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, returns the ball to Nadia Podoroska, of Argentina, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, arrives ahead of a match against Katerina Siniakova, of the Czech Republic, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, arrives ahead of a match against Katerina Siniakova, of the Czech Republic, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, reacts during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Katerina Siniakova, of the Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
