Beijing: A train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived at Beijing Railway Station on Tuesday, marking a significant moment as Kim prepares to participate in China's imminent military parade. The event will be attended by numerous state leaders, providing Kim with a platform for his multilateral diplomatic debut.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the train reached near Beijing Railway Station at approximately 4 p.m. local time, nearly a day after departing from Pyongyang. Kim is accompanied by Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and other notable officials. During the upcoming military parade, Kim will reportedly stand alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as revealed by Seoul's spy agency. The agency also suggested that Kim might engage in separate summits with both leaders on the sidelines of the event. This visit marks Kim's fifth trip to China since he ascended to power in late 2011.
Russia's Tass news agency reported on Tuesday that there is a possibility of a Kim-Putin summit taking place in China, as indicated by the Kremlin. A spokesperson for the Kremlin mentioned that discussions regarding the potential summit might occur once Kim arrives in Beijing. Kim and Putin are among the numerous foreign leaders expected to attend the military parade on Wednesday, presided over by Xi at Tiananmen Square, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender and the conclusion of World War II.
Russian reports have indicated that Kim will be seated to Xi's left, with Putin positioned on his right, during the parade. The presence of these three leaders together is seen as a powerful demonstration of their growing trilateral solidarity. Seoul's National Intelligence Service earlier assessed that Kim's participation alongside Xi and Putin during the parade would symbolize this strengthening alliance.