North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will make a rare venture abroad next week to attend a grand military pageant in Beijing. The event on Wednesday, his first trip out of the country since 2019, will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The pageant, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, will also be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. It has, however, been boycotted by leaders from the U.S. and major Western European nations due to their political conflict with Putin.
This visit is of immense importance for Kim, who is seeking to solidify his country’s most crucial international partnership. With China accounting for nearly all of North Korea’s trade, this is a vital diplomatic mission.
The gathering will also serve as a powerful display of a burgeoning anti-Western alliance. Kim’s presence alongside Xi and Putin is a clear signal of his strategic alignment in a new era of great power competition.