Beijing: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's rare presence alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing is regarded as Kim's strategic move to exhibit trilateral unity and potentially strengthen his negotiating position against the United States. At Tiananmen Square, the leaders gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of what China celebrates as its victory over Japan and the end of World War II.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this event marks Kim's first appearance on a significant multilateral diplomatic stage, offering him the opportunity to restore North Korea's traditionally close ties with China and emphasize its growing military cooperation with Russia amidst the Ukraine conflict. Kim aims to present himself as the leader of a normal state both domestically and internationally, while potentially using the event as leverage for future negotiations with Washington.
Prior to his summit talks with Trump in 2018 and 2019, Kim's visits to China to meet with Xi were perceived as efforts to secure Beijing's support and highlight North Korea's connections with the superpower. Observers suggest Kim might be considering another meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, while also indicating his willingness to strengthen security ties with Moscow and economic relations with Beijing instead of resuming nuclear talks with the U.S.
This brief gathering, the first in 66 years to unite the leaders of these three nations, occurs at a pivotal moment as the world seems to be splitting into two geopolitical blocs - one led by the U.S. and the other by China. The U.S. is rallying its allies to counter Beijing's increasing assertiveness.
Experts who view direct denuclearization talks with Washington as a lower priority for Pyongyang suggest Kim's visit is more focused on restoring ties with China, particularly in areas of food, energy, and tourism. They argue that North Korea might be shifting its alignment from Russia to China, with Trump trying to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict.
Kim has strengthened ties with Russia in recent years, including signing a mutual defense treaty and sending thousands of troops to Ukraine. However, with Trump's efforts to conclude the Ukraine war, Kim might have assessed that his leverage with Moscow would decrease, while China could offer more tangible benefits to address North Korea's economic challenges.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, speaking on a KBS news program, mentioned that North Korea has grown very close to Russia recently but "they have probably learned Russia's limits." Shin Bong-sup, a former consul general at the South Korean Consulate in Shenyang, emphasized the urgent need for North Korea to bolster ties with China to tackle domestic economic issues.
"For China, Kim Jong-un served as a useful showpiece in the confrontation with the U.S., aligning their interests," he said. Kim's visit occurs as President Lee Jae Myung and Trump have expressed hopes to resume talks with North Korea, which has avoided nuclear negotiations since the last one with Washington ended without an agreement in 2019.