North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, with Kim set to make his debut on the multilateral stage the following day at a military parade overseen by Chinese leader Xi Jinping and attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The visit by Kim and Putin will see the two aggressors in Russia’s war against Ukraine join Xi in a show of solidarity that also highlights China’s growing military might — and Beijing’s diplomatic sway with authoritarian regimes.
The event marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II will be the first of its kind since 2015, and is expected to feature a speech by Xi, a review of troops by the Chinese leader and a parade by soldiers through Beijing’s Chang’an Avenue as they display their most advanced weaponry.