Kim Jong Un to join Putin at China's military parade in striking show of unity

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Beijing next week for a grand military parade hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, where he will appear alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin. The event commemorates the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II and represents a key moment of solidarity among Beijing, Pyongyang, and Moscow in a challenge to Western influence.

---

Diplomatic optics and geopolitical signalling

This will mark Kim's first visit to China since 2019 and his first multilateral summit since assuming power in 2011 AP NewsThe Wall Street Journal. Putin and Kim will be among 26 foreign leaders attending the "Victory Day" parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025 ReutersAP NewsWikipedia.

With most Western leaders absent, the gathering is a pointed display of defiance toward U.S.-led global order The Wall Street JournalReuters. The only Western attendee is Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico Reuters+1.

---

Rebuilding alliances and strategic alignment

Kim's attendance signals a thaw in China-North Korea relations, previously strained due to Kim's support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict. With trade between the nations surging, Pyongyang appears eager to rebuild ties with its most significant economic partner AP NewsReuters.

For Kim, the visit also provides a powerful platform to elevate his international standing and reinforce North Korea's strategic alignment with Russia and China in the face of mounting Western sanctions Reuters+1.

---

Broader military and strategic context

Throughout the event, China will showcase advanced weaponry including hypersonic missiles, missile defense systems, and fighter jets ReutersWikipedia. Meanwhile, North Korea, backed by enhanced military and technological cooperation with Russia-including missile and drone systems-is rapidly advancing its own arsenal The Washington Post.

This trilateral presence underscores an emerging axis among sanctioned nations pursuing strategic autonomy and military modernization.

---

Looking ahead: A turning point for regional diplomacy

Kim Jong Un's attendance at the Beijing parade may mark the start of meaningful rapprochement with China, restoring a vital economic and diplomatic lifeline. It also serves as a high-visibility statement of unity with fellow sanctioned powers-Russia and China-amid evolving global alignments and rising geopolitical tension.