kim Jong Un Travels to Beijing for WWII Commemoration, Potential Meetings with Putin and Xi
SEOUL, South korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in Beijing to attend a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s resistance against Japanese aggression. This marks Kim’s frist visit to China as 2019 and his fifth trip to the country since assuming power in late 2011. North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA, reported Kim departed pyongyang by train on Monday, accompanied by key officials including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.south Korean media outlets confirmed the train’s arrival in the Chinese border city of Dandong Monday night, with an expected arrival in Beijing on Tuesday.
The parade, scheduled for Wednesday, will be attended by leaders from 26 nations, including Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping.This gathering represents the first time Kim has attended a major multilateral event during his 14-year rule.The presence of all three leaders – key figures challenging U.S.influence – at the same event has drawn significant attention. While no formal trilateral meeting has been confirmed, observers are closely watching for the possibility of bilateral discussions between Kim and Xi, as well as a potential meeting involving all three leaders.The three have previously held bilateral meetings, but a trilateral summit would be a first.
russian officials have indicated a meeting between Kim and Putin is “under consideration” on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, which Putin is also attending in China. The event offers a potential display of unity between the three nations.
