The ruling junta led by Min Aung Hlaing, an absurdly bemedalled Chaplin-esque dictator, is wholly illegitimate. Undeterred, Min Aung Hlaing planning elections in December to rebrand his regime and cement his rule. President Xi Jinping welcomed Min Aung Hlaing, accused by international criminal court prosecutors of crimes against humanity, to his second world war anniversary parade this month. View image in fullscreen The aftermath of an airstrike in Thayet Thapin village in Rakhine state, Myanmar, 12 September 2025. This softening coincided with a lubricious letter from Min Aung Hlaing praising Trump’s “strong leadership”.