North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will make a rare international visit to Beijing on September 3rd to attend a grand military parade, placing him alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders. The event, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, underscores a growing alignment between the three nations in a clear challenge to the U.S.-led global order.
The visit, confirmed by both North Korean and Chinese state media, was initiated at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. It marks Kim’s first trip to China since January 2019 and his first face-to-face meeting with Xi since the Chinese leader’s visit to Pyongyang in June of that year. For years, Beijing has served as North Korea’s primary economic and political backer, a relationship the U.S. has urged China to leverage in curbing Pyongyang’s nuclear program.
The high-profile gathering in Tiananmen Square is being viewed as a significant diplomatic maneuver. For Kim, it offers a seat at a table with major world powers, enhancing North Korea’s international stature. The joint appearance with Putin and Xi is set to project a powerful image of unity among Washington’s primary strategic rivals. According to Patricia M. Kim, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, the visit allows Kim to “renew ties with Xi Jinping,” with whom relations have reportedly cooled compared to his “increasingly close partnership with Vladimir Putin.”
While China publicly welcomes the visit, with Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei stating China is ready to “strengthen exchanges and cooperation,” Pyongyang’s deepening ties with Moscow create a complex dilemma. China has attempted to project neutrality in Russia’s war against Ukraine, and Kim’s presence alongside Putin, amidst U.S. accusations that North Korea is supplying Moscow with weapons, which could complicate Beijing’s efforts to stabilize relations with the West.
The announcement comes just days after President Donald Trump expressed a desire to meet with the North Korean leader again. A total of 26 foreign heads of state are expected to attend the parade, marking a major event on President Xi’s political calendar.
