The leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea stood shoulder to shoulder in Beijing on Tuesday, presenting a show of ironclad unity at a massive military parade — a display that sent the U.S. president into a furious outburst.
A fiery rebuke
On Tuesday, Putin and Kim underscored their solidarity with Xi Jinping as they walked alongside him onto a viewing stand overlooking Tiananmen Square.
Along the way, they stopped to greet and shake hands with five World War II veterans, some of whom were over a century old.
The event marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s victory over Japan, but it quickly became a flashpoint after Trump took to Truth Social to deliver a fiery rebuke.
“Many Americans died in China’s quest for Victory and Glory. I hope that they are rightfully Honored and Remembered for their Bravery and Sacrifice! May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.
The gathering was presented as a counterbalance to the U.S.-led global order and featured repeated shows of cooperation between Moscow, Beijing, and New Delhi.
Kim’s first major global stage appearance
For Kim Jong Un, the Beijing parade represents his first time attending a major international gathering since taking power 14 years ago.
It is also the first occasion where Xi, Putin, and Kim — all regarded as U.S. adversaries — have appeared together in one venue.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service briefed lawmakers earlier Tuesday that Kim would likely be given security arrangements on par with Putin. “Kim may stand alongside Xi and Putin on the rostrum at Tiananmen Square during Wednesday’s parade,” lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun said, citing the agency’s assessment.
Kim is also expected to hold one-on-one meetings with both Xi and Putin, as well as with other visiting leaders at receptions and cultural events, as he seeks to expand North Korea’s diplomatic reach.
North Korea’s growing role
North Korea has leaned closer to Moscow in recent years, supplying fighters, ammunition, and laborers in exchange for aid.
North Korea has played an active role in the Russia-Ukraine war since 2022.
According to South Korean intelligence, about 15,000 North Korean troops have been dispatched to Russia since last year, with an estimated 2,000 killed in action so far.
In addition, Pyongyang has pledged to send thousands of military construction workers and deminers to the Kursk region, to help with the ”restoration”.
It is clear that Washington is far from pleased with North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This past summer, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency that Moscow’s reliance on North Korean workers and soldiers was “deeply concerning.”
Shifting ties with China
While Pyongyang and Beijing have experienced strained relations in recent years, analysts believe Kim is now working to repair those ties.
China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a vital source of aid. With the outcome of Russia’s war in Ukraine uncertain, experts say Kim is positioning himself to lean on Beijing once again.
Putin, who arrived in China on Sunday for both the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and the parade, has not confirmed whether he will meet Kim privately, though Russian officials said such talks are “under consideration.”
Meanwhile, North Korea’s state media reported that Kim was warmly welcomed at Beijing railway station and thanked Xi’s government for its “cordial hospitality.”