Beijing has become the stage for a striking display of solidarity between three of the West’s most sanctioned and scrutinised leaders. On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in a rare trilateral convergence that is set to culminate in a massive military parade on Wednesday. The gathering highlights not just symbolic camaraderie but also the possibility of a deeper strategic alignment that could reshape global security balances.
Xi received Putin at the Great Hall of the People, later hosting him at his private residence, referring to the Russian leader as his “old friend.” Mere hours later, Kim’s armoured train rolled into Beijing, where he was received by senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi. According to North Korean state media, Kim thanked Xi for the warm welcome.
The military parade — intended to project China’s vision of a new global order — comes at a time when US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies have frayed traditional Western alliances. Analysts suggest that the parade may also serve as a platform to hint at closer defence ties among the three nations. This possibility looms especially large after Russia and North Korea signed a military pact in June 2024, with Beijing and Pyongyang also edging toward a similar arrangement.
For Trump, who has been openly eyeing a Nobel Peace Prize while touting his personal rapport with Xi, Putin and Kim, the optics are damaging. A visible concentration of military power in the East could undermine his diplomatic narrative and alarm Western allies already stretched by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Xi, in a speech to more than 20 leaders from non-Western nations on Monday, took a thinly veiled jab at Washington, declaring: “We must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics.” At the same time, he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose country has drawn Trump’s ire over oil purchases from Russia.
The summit has already yielded concrete economic results. Russia’s Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation signed a long-term gas deal, including a new pipeline agreement expected to supply China for three decades. Putin and Xi extended their talks into the evening at Xi’s residence, and reports from Russia’s TASS suggest that Putin and Kim may also hold a side meeting.
The military dimension of this trilateral cooperation is drawing intense scrutiny. Analysts warn that joint military exercises between Russia, China and North Korea appear increasingly likely. The shift marks a dramatic departure from a time when Beijing and Moscow helped enforce sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear programme. North Korea’s decision to deploy more than 15,000 troops to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine — with hundreds already reported killed — further cements its evolving role as a partner in Moscow’s conflicts.
For Kim, the parade represents not only the largest multilateral diplomatic platform he has ever joined but also a chance to project his country’s nuclear status with tacit backing from two of the world’s most powerful nations. In a striking personal touch, Kim reportedly brought along his young daughter, Ju Ae, a move fuelling speculation about dynastic succession in Pyongyang.
Meanwhile, China has meticulously prepared for its “Victory Day” parade, marking 80 years since Japan’s defeat in World War Two. Security lockdowns have paralysed downtown Beijing for weeks, and more than 80,000 “peace doves” are expected to be released as a symbolic gesture, even as advanced weaponry rolls past an audience of 50,000.
