North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s presence at a military parade in Beijing next week will send a clear message to the world. His rare trip abroad, his first since 2019, is to attend a ceremony on Wednesday marking the 80th anniversary of WWII’s end, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The parade, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been snubbed by Western leaders. Their boycott, aimed at protesting Putin’s involvement in the Ukraine war, effectively turns the event into a summit of nations opposed to the U.S. and its allies.
This visit is a strategic necessity for Kim to shore up his alliance with China, his country’s economic lifeline. With trade with China making up 97% of its total, this relationship is too important to neglect.
The joint appearance of the three leaders is a powerful symbol of their deepening ties. Coming after North Korea’s military support for Russia, it will be seen as a public declaration of a new strategic axis formed in opposition to the West.