The regime’s Information Team in Naypyidaw issued a press statement strongly condemning Time Magazine and its Singapore-based editor, Charlie Campbell, over an exclusive interview with regime leader Min Aung Hlaing.
The statement accuses the publication of violating media ethics and publishing “unfounded commentaries” alongside an article titled “Myanmar’s Dictator Wants to Rebuild Ties With the West,” which was published online by Time Magazine on Sept. 22.
According to the regime, Campbell requested the interview under the proposed title “The Future of Myanmar” in late April to address regime efforts toward peace and stability.
However, regime officials claimed the final piece relied on the writer’s own “interpretation and editorial approach,” incorporated outside commentary, and failed to publish the direct question-and-answer format as originally anticipated.
The Time Magazine feature—Min Aung Hlaing’s first sit-down interview with a major Western news outlet since orchestrating the Feb. 1, 2021 military coup—highlighted several key positions from the regime leader:
- Treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi: Min Aung Hlaing claimed he was being “lenient” with 81-year-old jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, asserting she is “held properly at home, not in prison” under conditions allowing her to live in a “relaxed and comfortable environment”. This claim comes as her son, Kim Aris, submitted a letter addressed to Min Aung Hlaing at the Myanmar embassy in London on Sept. 22 to demand direct in-person family visits.
- Appeal for U.S. Sanctions Relief: Pitching sanctions relief as a potential win-win, Min Aung Hlaing urged Washington to review economic penalties imposed since 2021. Data shows the U.S. has sanctioned at least 131 individuals and 89 entities tied to the regime, including state-owned enterprises like Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE).
- Distance from Beijing: Downplaying reliance on China, Min Aung Hlaing stated that Naypyidaw is “not entirely dependent on China,” though acknowledging Beijing’s significant contributions to domestic development. The stance contrasts with major Chinese investments, such as the deep-sea port and pipeline network in Kyaukphyu, Arakan State—a key hub of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) currently contested by the Arakan Army (AA).
Despite the regime’s strong pushback, international observers note that the article underscores Min Aung Hlaing’s efforts to seek diplomatic openings with Western nations as domestic resistance and economic sanctions continue to press his military-backed administration.
