North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is set to make his first visit to China in six years, as confirmed by North Korean and Chinese officials.
The visit, scheduled for next week, will see Kim attending China's World War II victory parade and engaging in meetings with his counterparts in the axis of tyranny, namely Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China.
As reported by Breitbart, North Korean state media revealed that Xi personally extended an invitation to Kim to attend the event, alongside Putin and two dozen other foreign leaders. The parade, set for next Wednesday, marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a conflict China often refers to as the "War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression."
Both China and Russia have been keen to rewrite the history of the war, aiming to claim the majority of the credit for defeating Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, respectively. Japan's government has urged other nations not to attend China's victory parade this year.
Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Hong Lei warmly welcomed Kim Jong-un to China, stating, "Upholding, consolidating and developing the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK is a firm position of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government." DPRK, or the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea," is the North Korean regime's preferred self-designation.
The Associated Press highlighted that Kim, known for his reclusive nature, has held a few bilateral meetings with other foreign leaders, including Xi and Putin. However, he has not attended a large event with multiple heads of state since he assumed power in 2011 following the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il.
Analyst Moon Seong-mook from the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy speculated that Kim's attendance at the event is likely a move to form solidarity with pro-Russia and pro-Chinese countries, while also portraying himself as the leader of a normal country.
Former CIA analyst Soo Kim added that Kim's presence at the parade holds significance for his international stature and impacts the balance of alliances between the U.S. and China.
The list of nations attending China's military parade includes Iran, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Malaysia. Most Western leaders have likely altered their plans to attend due to Japan's plea and Putin's presence at the event. However, Slovakia and Serbia are scheduled to attend, and the United Nations is sending Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, a former official of the Chinese Communist government.
Analysts quoted by Reuters suggested that Xi Jinping is leveraging the World War II event to proclaim China's global leadership of an "Axis of Upheaval," dedicated to dismantling the Western-led postwar world order. The event also provides Xi with an opportunity to reassert his leadership over China during a period of economic uncertainty and social unrest.
National University of Singapore professor Alfred Wu noted, "When Xi was just a regional leader, he looked up to Putin, and saw the kind of leader he could learn from and now he is a global leader. Having Kim alongside him, as well, highlights how Xi is now also a global leader."
North Korea, Iran, and Russia are currently under heavy international sanctions, with China playing a key role in circumventing these sanctions to ensure continued financial inflow. Putin, who is the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, can safely visit only a few major powers, including China.
The BBC predicted that Xi would secure a "key diplomatic win" by posing for photos with Kim and Putin at the World War II parade. This move not only showcases China's economic and political power by placing outlaw leaders in the VIP seats, but it also undermines President Donald Trump's expressed desire to negotiate an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and resume talks with North Korea.
These diplomatic maneuvers by Xi are set to occur just a few weeks before Trump's scheduled trip to Asia, where he hopes to meet with the Chinese leader. The BBC suggested that Xi, having met both Kim and Putin, would be able to sit down with Trump without feeling left out of the loop. Given his close relationship with both leaders, he may even possess information that his U.S. counterpart does not.
In addition, a trilateral meeting with Kim and Putin could prove useful for Xi in reasserting China's primacy over the "Axis of Upheaval," especially after North Korea strengthened its ties with Russia by supplying munitions and foot soldiers for the Ukraine war.
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