North Korean Leader to Visit China Next Week (Military Parade and Russia)
Michiyo Tanabe and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, is set to attend a major military parade in China, joining 25 other international leaders in paying tribute at the event.
This marks Kim’s first visit to China in six years and offers a rare opportunity for diplomatic engagement with other global leaders. The visit is expected to further bolster strategic ties in Northeast Asia—particularly among China, North Korea, and the Russian Federation.
President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation is likely to welcome Kim’s presence, given the recent alignment between Moscow and Pyongyang. North Korea has expressed strong support for Russia during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, reportedly assisting in the Kursk region when Ukrainian forces advanced into Russian territory.
The Guardian reports, “The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, have signed a pact that includes a clause requiring the countries to come to each other’s aid if either is attacked, a move that has raised western concerns about potential Russian aid for Pyongyang’s missile or nuclear programmes.”
The military parade in Beijing commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of Japan’s wartime aggression against China, serving as both a historical tribute and a display of contemporary international alliances.
Hong Lei (Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs in China) notified a press conference that “We warmly welcome General Secretary Kim Jong Un to China to attend the commemorative events.”
He continued, “Upholding, consolidating and developing the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK is a firm position of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.”
International leaders from a diverse range of countries—including Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Serbia, and others—are expected to attend the parade. However, representatives from NATO member states will not be present. Despite the event’s commemorative focus on the end of World War II and the shared historical efforts against the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan), current geopolitical dynamics have influenced their decision to abstain.
AP News reports, “If Kim’s trip is realized, it would be his first trip to China since 2019. Since inheriting power upon his father’s death in December 2011, Kim has met Xi, Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump, former South Korean President Moon Jae-in and others, but all those summits were bilateral meetings and Kim hasn’t attended any multilateral events involving foreign leaders.”
Only one European Union leader—Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico—is confirmed to attend the parade. Meanwhile, Bulgaria and Hungary will be represented by high-level officials, underscoring a selective yet notable EU presence at the event.
The BBC reports, “China is likely to display its latest weaponry, including hundreds of aircraft, tanks and anti-drone systems. This will be the first time its military’s new force structure is being fully showcased in a parade.”
Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group
http://moderntokyotimes.com Modern Tokyo Times – International News and Japan News
http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi’s website and Modern Tokyo Times artist
https://moderntokyonews.com Modern Tokyo News – Tokyo News and International News
PLEASE JOIN ON TWITTER
https://twitter.com/MTT_News Modern Tokyo Times
PLEASE JOIN ON FACEBOOK