North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will attend a major military parade in Beijing next week to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War, both governments confirmed on Thursday.
The 3 September event will see President Xi Jinping inspect troops in Tiananmen Square, with ground formations, armoured convoys, aerial displays and high-tech military equipment on show. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and 23 other world leaders will also be present.
China, which lost millions of people in its war with imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s, has staged high-profile commemorations in recent years to highlight its wartime resilience. Officials described the parade as a display of unity with other nations.
Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei announced Kim’s visit, saying: “The Chinese people will join hands with the people of all countries to firmly defend the victories of World War II.” He added that the global situation was marked by “turbulence and a growing peace deficit”.
Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency confirmed Kim’s attendance, calling it an official visit at the invitation of Xi Jinping.
Analysts said the trip underscores North Korea’s enduring alliance with Beijing, despite speculation it has drawn closer to Moscow. Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore said it demonstrates that “the United States cannot bully them into submission”.
Beijing described ties with Pyongyang as a “traditional friendship” it is determined to maintain. Kim last visited China in January 2019, while China’s third-ranking official Zhao Leji travelled to North Korea in April last year to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations.