The session follows a phased election in which the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) secured a sweeping victory amid low voter turnout and the absence of a viable opposition. Retired brigadier-general and USDP chairman Khin Yi was elected speaker of the lower house on Monday, a position analysts say could play a central role in advancing the military’s political agenda.

Myanmar has been mired in civil war and a worsening humanitarian crisis since the armed forces overthrew the government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, just as her administration was preparing to begin a second five-year term following a landslide electoral victory.

The Union Solidarity and Development Party, formed by the military in 2010, won 81% of contested seats in the election, according to official results. The bicameral parliament will also include dozens of military officers appointed directly by the armed forces, which are constitutionally guaranteed a quarter of the seats in the legislature.

Analysts say the arrangement effectively places the parliament under military control, giving the top brass decisive influence over the selection of the country’s next president. Junta chief and coup leader Min Aung Hlaing is widely expected to assume the presidency once the new government is formed.

“This level of control makes it clear that one can expect nothing substantial from this body; it is evidently a parliament that will operate solely at the whim of the military leader,” independent analyst Htin Kyaw Aye said.

The military leadership also plans to establish a new five-member panel, the Union Consultative Council, which some experts have described as a “superbody” designed to consolidate authority over both civilian administration and the armed forces.

The junta has rejected international criticism of the election, saying the process reflected the will of the people. Officials have indicated that a new government could be formed as early as April and have expressed hope that the political transition may help ease sanctions and revive foreign investment.

A commentary published Monday in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said the convening of parliament had raised expectations across the country for improved political stability and governance focused on national interests.

Kim Min-seok told reporters in the United States that Trump raised the possibility of meeting Kim Jong Un during a potential trip to China later this year or at another time, adding that the timing was uncertain but dialogue itself remained important.“Meeting (Kim Jong Un) would be good.

It’s really good to meet,” Kim quoted Trump as saying, noting the U.S. president suggested the encounter could occur during an upcoming visit to China or at a later stage.

Washington has for decades led international efforts to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear weapons program through sanctions, diplomacy and negotiations, though these measures have produced limited results.

The Trump administration has recently pushed to revive high-level engagement with Pyongyang, with officials exploring the possibility of a summit with Kim Jong Un later this year.

Kim Min-seok said he and Trump agreed that a meeting occurring soon, potentially around the time of a visit to Beijing, would carry symbolic significance.“If it happens soon, or around the time of the China visit, that would in itself be meaningful,” Kim said.

He added that the U.S. president appeared firmly committed to maintaining some form of contact with North Korea regardless of when a summit might take place.

Trump has repeatedly indicated willingness to engage directly with Kim Jong Un. During a trip to Asia in October, he said he was “100 percent” open to meeting the North Korean leader, though Pyongyang did not immediately respond to the offer.

More recently, Kim Jong Un suggested the United States and North Korea could “get along” if Washington recognized Pyongyang’s nuclear status, a position that conflicts with long-standing U.S. policy aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

At the same time, North Korea has signaled skepticism toward diplomatic initiatives from Seoul, describing South Korea’s latest peace efforts as a “clumsy, deceptive farce.”

North Korea continues to advance its military capabilities while maintaining close strategic ties with Russia, developments that have raised concerns among the United States and its allies in the region.

Pyongyang has also condemned the recent U.S.-Israeli military strike on Iran, describing it as an “illegal act of aggression,” reflecting broader geopolitical tensions involving Washington and its adversaries.

The possibility of renewed talks between Washington and Pyongyang comes as regional diplomacy remains fragile, with negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear program stalled despite years of international pressure and intermittent dialogue.

China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, approved the legislation on Thursday, aiming to foster a shared national identity among China’s 55 officially recognised ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs.

While the law does not explicitly mention Taiwan, Beijing considers the island part of its territory and regards its people as Chinese citizens.

Shen Yu-chung, deputy minister at Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, said language in the legislation could potentially extend to cross-strait issues.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei before the law was formally passed, Shen said provisions requiring citizens to protect China’s sovereignty and national unity could “spill over into becoming a legal basis for handling cross-Strait issues.

”When asked whether the law might be used to target individuals Beijing views as pro-independence activists, Shen said it was “highly possible,” adding that the definition of promoting unity remained vague while penalties could be more clearly defined.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has already introduced measures aimed at supporters of Taiwanese independence.In 2024, Chinese authorities issued guidelines to punish what they called “diehard” independence activists, with penalties that could include the death sentence, despite Chinese courts having no jurisdiction on the island.

The new legislation also contains a brief reference encouraging people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to identify as Chinese.

The law further cites remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping stating that citizens must “consciously uphold national unity, national security, and social stability.”

Taiwanese officials have long criticised what they describe as Chinese “lawfare,” referring to the use of legislation to create legal grounds for targeting individuals Beijing considers separatists, including those living overseas.

The new law includes provisions stating that individuals and organisations outside the borders of the People’s Republic of China can be held legally accountable for undermining ethnic unity or inciting separatism.

Shen said such language raised concerns about potential “long-arm jurisdiction,” referring to China’s efforts to apply its legal framework beyond its borders.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment.

Vote counting is ongoing following Nepal’s first national election since youth-led protests in September forced a political reset. Final results for 165 directly elected seats and 110 proportional representation seats are expected by next week, according to the Election Commission Nepal.If current trends hold, Shah —widely known as Balen could capitalise on momentum generated by last year’s protests, transforming grassroots activism and digital mobilisation into a potential governing mandate.

Much of the campaign operation was coordinated from the upper floors of the party’s six-storey headquarters in Kathmandu’s Balaju neighbourhood, according to RSP officials involved in planning the strategy.Six party members who described a tightly structured campaign apparatus combining data analysis, social media outreach and nationwide field operations.The centre of the operation was the Research, Strategy and Documentation Department, run by an 11-member board overseeing about 300 workers across three national teams. These groups worked alongside local campaign teams led by individual candidates across the country.Their responsibilities ranged from crafting electoral messaging and planning rallies to tracking voter feedback from districts across Nepal. Officials said the teams monitored campaign performance on the ground while coordinating online messaging to ensure consistency across regions.

Shah delivered a major campaign speech roughly every eight days, giving party teams time to circulate the content widely across digital platforms before the next event.On the ground, the party organised daily roadshows in five to seven districts and arranged short appearances by Shah in one of Nepal’s seven provinces each day. The visits were designed to maintain national visibility while allowing the candidate to interact directly with voters.“We are overwhelmed by the support and love we received from people on the ground,” said Bigyan Gautam, a member of the party’s national campaign team.Shah’s strong showing contrasts with developments elsewhere in South Asia, where youth-driven political movements have struggled to translate protest momentum into electoral success.In Nepal, however, RSP officials say a combination of digital coordination, diaspora support and targeted outreach helped convert the energy of last year’s protests into a nationwide campaign network that is now reshaping the country’s political landscape.