Beijing Military Parade Brings Together Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, & Xi Jinping
KIM JONG UN – The highly anticipated military parade in Beijing will see Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping together, fueling speculation about a potential show of unity against the United States.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is traveling to Beijing to join Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a major military parade, state media announced. The event, set for Wednesday, will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s wartime resistance against Japan.
This marks Kim’s first participation in an international gathering of this scale since assuming power in 2011. It will also be the first time that Kim, Xi, and Putin—three of the most prominent rivals of Washington—are seen together at one venue. Although no formal three-way meeting has been confirmed, their joint presence suggests the possibility of strengthened cooperation among the countries.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim left Pyongyang on Monday aboard his special train, accompanied by senior officials, including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. His train reportedly crossed into China through the border city of Dandong that evening, with Beijing as the final stop on Tuesday. The trip marks his first visit to China in five years and his fifth overall since inheriting leadership in 2011.
Putin, meanwhile, arrived in China earlier to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Russian officials have hinted that a meeting between him and Kim may be arranged, while observers are also watching closely for possible one-on-one discussions between Kim and Xi—or even a rare trilateral encounter among the three leaders.
In recent years, Pyongyang has shifted its diplomatic focus toward Moscow, supplying weapons and ammunition for Russia’s war in Ukraine in exchange for much-needed economic and military assistance. Although the relationship has faced ups and downs, Kim is believed to be seeking to solidify ties with both Russia and China, especially as international sanctions continue to strain North Korea’s economy.
Kim’s latest trip comes at a time when Washington and Seoul have expressed renewed interest in reviving talks with Pyongyang. However, North Korea has resisted such overtures since 2019, when negotiations between Kim and then-U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed over disagreements on sanctions relief and partial denuclearization measures.
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