Next week’s military parade in Beijing is much more than a historical commemoration; it is an exercise in raw politics, and Kim Jong Un’s visit is fraught with meaning. The North Korean leader will make a rare trip abroad to attend the Wednesday event, marking 80 years since the end of WWII.
The political significance is heightened by the presence of Russia’s Vladimir Putin and the corresponding absence of Western leaders. Their boycott over the Ukraine conflict has turned the parade into a stage for an anti-Western coalition to display its unity.
For Kim, the trip is a strategic imperative to manage his alliance with China, his nation’s economic lifeline. This high-profile gesture is aimed at ensuring Beijing’s continued support for his isolated regime.
Ultimately, the parade is a vehicle for a powerful message. It signals the deepening of a trilateral partnership between Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow, a development with profound implications for global stability.