MYANMAR’S JUNTA CHIEF on Sunday dismissed foreign criticism of the war-torn country’s general election as a final round of voting took place, with the military-backed party having secured a majority of seats in previous rounds.

The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has won 193 of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 of 78 seats in the upper house after two rounds held on Dec. 28 and Jan. 11. Voter turnout was around 55% in each round, sharply lower than levels of about 70% in the 2020 and 2015 elections.

Major opposition groups are not contesting the polls amid a civil war triggered by a 2021 coup that brought the military to power. The United Nations, rights groups and the UK have denounced the polls as a sham exercise to perpetuate the military’s hold.

Malaysia, which last year chaired the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar, has said the bloc would not endorse the election.

“Whether the international community recognizes this or not, we don’t understand their perspective. The people’s vote is the recognition we need,” junta chief Min Aung Hlaing told reporters on Sunday, according to a video broadcast on state TV.

The military has insisted the election is free of coercion and has public backing.

YANGON AND MANDALAY VOTE
On Sunday, voters were casting their ballots in some 60 townships, including the large cities of Yangon and Mandalay. Dressed in civilian clothes, Mr. Min Aung Hlaing earlier met voters at a polling station in Mandalay in a seemingly relaxed atmosphere, pictures from domestic media showed.

The 69-year-old general and acting president has indicated he is considering appointing someone to succeed him as armed forces chief and will likely move into a fully political role, a source has said.

Asked on Sunday about his possible role in the future government, Mr. Min Aung Hlaing said it was too early to say. “Once the Parliament is convened, they have their own procedures and methods for selection,” he said.

While the junta has portrayed the election as a success despite the low turnout, residents of Myanmar’s biggest cities have told Reuters of an atmosphere of fear and that many felt compelled to vote to avoid potential arrest or retribution.

One Yangon resident said polling stations in neighborhoods where army officers and their families reside appeared to have a high turnout on Sunday, but few voters were seen in other areas.

The military took control of the impoverished Southeast Asian nation in a dawn coup on Feb. 1, 2021, ousting an elected civilian government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

The 80-year-old politician remains in detention, and, like several other opposition groups, her National League for Democracy has been dissolved by the junta.

Fighting has continued through the election campaign and earlier voting in many parts of Myanmar, including air strikes around civilian areas in the border states of Rakhine, Shan and Kayin.

MILITARY SET TO HOLD POWER
The USDP, which was formed in 2010 and governed the country for five years following the end of a previous military government, is chaired by a retired brigadier general and packed with other former high-ranking officers.

Myanmar’s military, which has ruled the country for five of the past six decades, does not appear to have any real intention of withdrawing from its political leadership role.

“Rather than resolving a crisis now in its fifth year, the vote is more likely to reinforce the military’s hold on power, with little prospect of restoring domestic legitimacy or improving the country’s standing with Western partners,” said Kaho Yu, principal Asia analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

Using an election protection law, the junta has charged over 400 people for criticizing and obstructing the election process, according to state media. — Reuters

HANOI — The European Union (EU) and Vietnam will elevate ties during a visit to Hanoi by the European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday, an EU official said, as both sides seek to expand international partnerships amid disruptions from US tariffs.

The visit comes on the heels of To Lam’s reappointment as Vietnam’s top official, potentially making Mr. Costa the first leader of a major power to meet Mr. Lam since the ruling Communist Party on Friday appointed him for a new term as general secretary.

The elevation of ties to Vietnam’s highest level has been planned for months and was delayed largely because of schedule complications, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It would place the EU on the same tier as China, the US and Russia among others, further expanding Vietnam’s advanced partnerships, in line with the country’s strategy of balancing big powers.

The European Council declined to comment. Vietnam’s government did not respond to a request for comment.

These upgrades are largely symbolic, as they merely entail more frequent high-level meetings and usually no binding agreements.

Vietnam’s relations with the United States worsened last year after the Trump administration imposed tariffs, despite the upgrade of bilateral ties inked by former President Joseph R. Biden during a visit to Hanoi in late 2023.

MORE COOPERATION ON TECH, MINERALS
The upgrade with the EU is expected to generate more cooperation in multiple fields, including research, technology, energy and critical minerals, according to a draft joint statement, the official said. Vietnam has significant but often little exploited deposits of rare earths, gallium and tungsten.

The Southeast Asian trade-reliant nation is a major link in global supply chains, especially for electronics, clothing and footwear. It has a string of free trade agreements with multiple partners, including with the EU.

The EU has repeatedly criticized Vietnam’s implementation of the free trade agreement, which has boosted Vietnam’s surplus with the 27-nation bloc since it came into force in 2020. The EU deficit with Hanoi stood at €42.5 billion ($50.26 billion) in 2024.

EU officials accuse Hanoi of hampering EU imports with multiple non-tariff barriers, but Brussels has so far taken limited action to address the situation.

Also, facing tariffs from the United States, the EU has prioritized improving ties with economic partners and expanding trade agreements, including recently with South American nations of the Mercosur bloc.

Mr. Costa will visit India before Vietnam, where together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he intends to hold trade talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a schedule published by the EU Council. — Reuters

LONDON — Britain’s government said on Saturday it will create a new National Police Service, described as a “British FBI,” to modernize policing and deal with terrorism, fraud, organized crime and other complex criminal activity.

The new force will bring together the work of the National Crime Agency, which investigates serious organized crime such as drug smuggling and people trafficking, with other country-wide roles like counterterrorism and national road policing.

Once appointed, its chief — the National Crime Commissioner — will be the most senior officer in the country. Currently, the head of London’s Metropolitan Police is Britain’s highest-ranking law enforcement official.

Creation of the National Police Service will form part of major police reforms the government is due to unveil on Monday, which it is casting as the biggest shake-up in policing since Robert Peel established the first professional force in 1829.

“The current policing model was built for a different century,” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the UK’s interior minister, said in a statement.

“We will create a new National Police Service — dubbed ‘the British FBI’ — deploying world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals,” she said, likening it to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

There are currently 43 local police forces in England and Wales, with some holding national roles, such as the London police, which is responsible for counterterrorism.

Ms. Mahmood said the shake-up would allow local forces to focus on dealing with everyday offences, such as shoplifting and anti-social behavior, and catching criminals in their areas.

It is also expected that, as part of the changes announced on Monday, the government will cut the overall number of forces in Britain in a move to save money and reduce crime. — Reuters