Show of strength

Thesignificance ofthe parade was thatitwas viewed bymany as ashowcase of China’s growing militarystrength.Itwasalsoan attempt by Beijingto cementits globalleadership status andto showits rising diplomatic clout. Akeytake-awayfromthe paradewasofXiwalkingdown theredcarpettotherostrum with Putinonhisrightand Kim Jong-unonhisleft. They were seensmilingand talking. This singlescene conveyed thatthe three countries continue to sharenotonlyideology butalso othercommonvalues regarding bilateralas well asglobalissues

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In the first week of September 2025, China hosted two dozen world leaders for a huge Victory Day Military parade in Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War IT and Japan’s surrender. It was only the second time Beijing has held a Victory Day parade, the first having taken place a decade ago.

The major highlight ofthe event and what drew world attention was Chinese President XiJinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un being seen on the same platform. That image conveyed a sharp slap to the US President Donald Trump who has been targeting the three countries by using tariff as weapons, besides imposing trade barriers.

Though there are several takeaways from the Victory Parade, this article shall address only one issue and that is Kim Jong Un’s proximity with both China and more recently with Russia, particularly Kim’s support to Putin’s Ukraine war by way of supplying weapons and soldiers. While North Korea's relations with China are time-tested, the recent bonhomie between Kim and Putin has unnerved Trump.

When sceptics started interpreting Kim's growing bonhomie with Putin in the wake of the Ukraine war as Pyongyang drifting away from Beijing to Moscow, Kim’s presence at the military parade dissipated such an impression and signalled China-North Korea realignment, particularly after Trump targeted China on trade issue by imposing high tariffs.

Inamessage marking the 77th anniversary of North Korea's founding, Xi Jinping vowed “unwavering strategic policy” with Pyongyang and reaffirmed the pledge for closer ties with North Korea after the historic Kim visit. Standing together with Kim and Putin at Tiananmen Square, Xi emphasised the bond between China and North Korea as “traditional friendly neighbours connected by mountains and rivers”.