North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to join Putin at China’s military parade

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un will travel to Beijing next week to attend China’s Victory Day military parade, appearing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The visit, confirmed by Chinese authorities, marks Kim’s first participation in a multilateral international event and highlights China’s growing influence on the global stage.

The high-profile gathering will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War Two and is expected to feature over two dozen heads of state, including leaders from Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar.

The parade, set in the historic Tiananmen Square, will also serve as the first full public display of China’s restructured military force.

For President Xi Jinping, Kim’s attendance is a diplomatic win, reinforcing Beijing’s role as a power broker in the shifting geopolitical landscape.

The Chinese leader is seeking to promote a new world order centred around Beijing, as tensions with the West, particularly the United States, remain high over trade, security and global governance.

Kim’s rare appearance outside North Korea signals a renewed alignment with Beijing and Moscow at a time when Pyongyang faces growing isolation. Since 2019, Kim has not visited China, making this his first trip to the country in six years.

His limited engagements with world leaders in recent years have largely been with Putin, whom he has met twice since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Beijing has maintained a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict, refusing to condemn the Kremlin while deepening economic and diplomatic ties with Moscow.

North Korea has gone a step further, supplying arms and military support to Russia, prompting widespread condemnation from the West.

With U.S. President Donald Trump absent from the celebrations, the parade will provide Xi with an opportunity to project leadership in Asia and beyond. Trump has expressed interest in meeting Kim again, and the White House has hinted at a potential presidential visit to Asia in the coming weeks, though details remain unconfirmed.

The parade is expected to feature a powerful display of China’s latest military hardware, including tanks, aircraft and advanced anti-drone systems.

Tens of thousands of troops, including war veterans and members from 45 divisions of the Chinese military, will march in tightly choreographed formations, reinforcing the country’s image as a global military power.

China’s foreign ministry praised its longstanding “traditional friendship” with North Korea and pledged continued cooperation in promoting peace and stability in the region. Kim’s presence at the event is seen as a symbolic affirmation of this alliance, as well as an opportunity to recalibrate his diplomatic position between China and Russia.

Most Western leaders are not expected to attend the event due to their stance on the Ukraine war.