North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among more than 20 foreign leaders scheduled to attend a military parade in Beijing next week marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II following Japan’s official surrender. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to CNN.
The ministry statement highlighted that Putin and Kim top the guest list of Chinese President Xi Jinping. This positioning will place the three authoritarian leaders side by side on the main reviewing stand in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace in central Beijing, signaling a public display of unity.
Kim Jong Un has officially confirmed his attendance. This will be his first overseas trip since 2023, when he visited Russia for talks with Putin in the Russian Far East. Since coming to power in 2011, the North Korean leader has made only ten international trips.
The parade, organized by the Chinese president, gives the leader of the world’s most sanctioned regime the opportunity to appear alongside other world leaders who align with the alternative global order promoted by Xi and Putin. The event also occurs amid China’s increasingly assertive stance on Taiwan and territorial disputes in the region.
Twenty-six foreign heads of state and government are expected to participate. Among them are Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The ceremony will last approximately 70 minutes, featuring over 10,000 military personnel, more than 100 aircraft, and hundreds of ground vehicles. Chinese officials note that all displayed equipment is domestically produced, with some making their debut, including next-generation drones, electronic warfare systems, hypersonic weapons, air and missile defense technologies, and strategic missiles.
In recent years, North Korea has strengthened ties with Russia amid Moscow’s war in Ukraine, affecting the strategic balance in East Asia. Last year, Putin and Kim signed a defense pact in Pyongyang, committing to provide immediate military assistance if either party is attacked. The agreement has raised concerns among the United States and its regional allies, while Xi Jinping, Putin’s closest strategic partner, is closely monitoring the development of this alliance.
Earlier we wrote that Kremlin explains Putin’s refusal to meet Zelensky.
