Kim Jong Un Makes Rare Beijing Visit for Military Display
Kim Jong Un made his way to Beijing to attend a historic military parade. This marks the North Korean president’s first multilateral international meeting during his 14-year rule. No North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade since 1959. The event brought together 26 world leaders who watched the meticulously planned display. Kim stood among Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, creating an unprecedented gathering of three major U.S. challengers.
Kim Jong Un last visited China in 2019. He has only visited the country five times since he took power after his father died in 2011. The parade lasted 70 minutes as thousands of military personnel marched through Tiananmen Square. The display featured troops from 45 divisions of China’s military. Leaders from Russia, Iran, Myanmar, and Pakistan attended the event. These countries have previously bought North Korean weapons. This rare diplomatic appearance comes at the time North Korea has strengthened its ties with Russia. Reports indicate North Korea sent about 15,000 troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine since last fall.
Kim Joins Xi and Putin at Beijing Parade
Image Source: Yahoo News Canada
The Beijing “Victory Day” military parade turned into a bold diplomatic statement when three major world leaders stood together. Chinese President Xi Jinping showed his growing global influence by standing with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea president Kim Jong Un. Their presence created a powerful image of a new alliance.
North Korea president name appears among global powers
Xi, Putin, and Kim came together for the first time in public, marking a historic moment for these challengers to U.S. influence. Their joint presence created what analysts call an “Axis of Upheaval” that defies Western powers. The parade drew an impressive 26 foreign heads of state. Leaders from Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, and several Central Asian nations attended. Western countries had minimal representation. Only Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić came from Europe.
China hosts 80th anniversary of WWII victory
The military display marked 80 years since Japan’s formal surrender in World War II. This well-arranged event went beyond historical remembrance. China showed off its military might with what authorities claim are new hypersonic weapons and unmanned underwater drones. The parade also fit into a broader Communist Party campaign. It promoted “the correct view” of WWII history and highlighted China and Soviet Russia’s crucial roles in defeating fascist forces.
Kim’s first multilateral event in 14 years of rule
North Korea’s reclusive leader reached a most important diplomatic milestone. Kim Jong Un had never joined a major multilateral event in his 14-year rule until now. This visit marked the first time since 1959 that a North Korean leader attended a Chinese military parade. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service suggested Kim might stand with Xi and Putin at Tiananmen Square during the parade. This rare international appearance helped lift Kim’s status as a global statesman. It also strengthened Beijing’s role as guardian of what Xi foresees as a post-U.S. international order.
Kim Travels by Armored Train with Top Officials
Image Source: Yahoo News UK
Kim Jong Un’s distinctive green armored train rolled into Beijing on Tuesday. The locomotive left Pyongyang on September 1. This specially designed train stands as a trademark symbol of the Kim dynasty’s power and isolation.
Why Kim prefers train over air travel
Kim Jong Un regularly chooses rail transport for international trips, though he doesn’t share his father’s fear of flying. The current North Korean president has used aircraft occasionally and flew to Singapore in 2018 for his Trump summit. The choice of transport usually comes down to practical reasons. Their Soviet-era planes are too old to safely cover long distances, according to North Korean officials. The bulletproof train serves as a reliable option, especially when traveling through China, Vietnam, and Russia.
Details of the train’s security and luxury
Security measures and heavy bulletproof plating make the armored convoy move slowly. The train averages just 37 miles per hour inside North Korea and about 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph) abroad.
The train’s specialized carriages offer remarkable comfort with:
- Bedrooms and wood-paneled meeting rooms that feature leather armchairs
- Conference facilities fitted with pink couches for diplomatic talks
- Satellite phones, computers, and flat-screen televisions
State media photos show Kim in his wood-paneled office on the train. His space features a gold-embossed laptop, telephones, and his signature cigarettes. Blue-and-gold curtains adorn the windows, highlighting the stark difference between this luxury and most North Koreans’ poverty.
Entourage has foreign minister and military aides
A large delegation travels with Kim on the train. Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui stands out among his entourage during this Beijing visit. State media released images of Kim smiling while talking with Choe in one of the train’s luxurious meeting rooms. The train carries security guards, medical staff, and military aides besides diplomatic personnel. Two armored Mercedes fit in the convoy, letting Kim maintain his image at his destination.
Kim Seeks Diplomatic Leverage Amid Sanctions
Image Source: NBC News
“”I do believe that the sales for weapons are one of the purposes of this visit,”” — Yang Uk, Military expert at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, Seoul
Kim Jong Un’s Beijing visit shows his crucial diplomatic push while facing international isolation. The North Korean president must balance his relationships with major powers as his country deals with tough sanctions.
Kim wants to restore ties with China
Kim needs to fix his country’s damaged relationship with Beijing after developing stronger connections with Moscow. His regime needs Chinese economic support as a lifeline, and he wants to avoid depending too much on Russia before the Ukraine war ends. China serves as North Korea’s biggest trading partner and main aid provider, handling more than 90% of North Korea’s total trade volume.
North Korea’s growing ties with Russia
The Russian partnership has grown into something big, leading to the June 2024 Treaty on Strategic Partnership. This treaty stands as North Korea’s most important military agreement since the 1961 Soviet deal. Pyongyang now supplies Moscow with artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and other weapons while sending about 15,000 troops to Ukraine.
Secret arms deals might be on the table
Military experts think weapons sales are one reason for Kim’s Beijing trip. The meeting brings together leaders from countries that have bought North Korean weapons before, including Russia, Iran, Myanmar, and Pakistan. UN Security Council resolutions are still active, so any arms deals would need to happen secretly.
UN sanctions block open cooperation
These sanctions stop:
- Weapons and military equipment trade
- Assets of nuclear program participants
- Scientific cooperation
The restrictions have caused major humanitarian problems, though they allow some humanitarian aid. North Korea uses its Russian connection to work around international sanctions while trying to advance its nuclear and missile programs.
Kim Projects Power to Domestic and Global Audiences
Image Source: France 24
“”It’s elevating North Korea’s position to kind of the big boys, and then Kim can project that image back home like he did with his summit with Donald Trump, he can really show off his world statesman side,”” — John Delury, Senior Fellow at The Asia Society, Professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University
Kim Jong Un made a strategic stop at a missile laboratory before reaching Beijing. This carefully planned move demonstrated North Korea’s nuclear capabilities and set the stage for his diplomatic appearance globally.
North Korea president palace media coverage of the visit
The state newspaper Rodong Sinmun released photos showing Kim with his entourage. The images captured him standing confidently outside and smiling from his signature train. This media coverage helps build domestic support by showing Kim as a respected world leader instead of someone isolated.
Symbolism of standing with Xi and Putin
Western analysts call the union of these three leaders an “Axis of Upheaval”. Xi will likely stand between Putin and Kim at the parade, showing their unified stance against Western influence. This powerful display challenges the U.S.-led world order that has dominated for a century.
Kim’s image as a global statesman
The Beijing visit marks Kim’s first major multilateral diplomatic event during his 14-year rule. Recent constitutional changes officially recognize him as North Korea’s international representative. These changes allow Kim to step more confidently into his diplomatic role globally.
Impact on Trump and North Korea president relations
The gathering challenges Trump’s claims about his close working relationships with Xi, Putin, and Kim. Trump’s earlier diplomatic efforts with Kim ended without agreements in 2019. North Korea has stopped using Trump’s name in statements lately, referring only to “the present US administration”.
Kim Jong Un’s Beijing appearance marks a turning point in North Korean diplomacy. The North Korean leader kept a mostly isolated international presence during his 14-year rule. His attendance at this military parade stands as one of the most important moments in recent history. The well-arranged gathering with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin shows a transformation in global power dynamics. Analysts now describe this as an “Axis of Upheaval” that challenges Western influence.
This rare diplomatic move serves many strategic purposes for Kim. He wants to fix weakening ties with Beijing while he keeps his stronger relationship with Moscow intact. China still serves as North Korea’s economic lifeline and handles over 90% of its trade volume. This remains true even as Pyongyang increases its military cooperation with Russia. Kim’s participation also lifts his status at home and abroad. He can now show himself as a legitimate and respected figure on the world stage.
The visit’s timing carries great importance. Kim chose to inspect a missile laboratory before heading to Beijing. This shows his nuclear ambitions stay strong, whatever international sanctions say. His presence among 26 world leaders at China’s military parade proves he wants to break free from diplomatic isolation. Yet he manages to keep his defiant position.
Three major challengers to U.S. influence standing together definitely reshapes how people see global power distribution. Recent constitutional changes made Kim North Korea’s official international representative. Now he stands confidently among world leaders instead of appearing as an isolated figure.
Nobody knows for sure what this three-way relationship will bring. Kim shows he can direct international politics despite sanctions as he carefully balances ties between Moscow and Beijing. His first multilateral diplomatic event since taking power shows more than just survival skills. It reveals his drive to secure North Korea’s place among nations that challenge today’s world order.
