Putin, Kim Jong Un to attend Chinese ‘Victory Day’ parade in show of defiance to the West
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will join Chinese President Xi Jinping at a major military parade in Beijing next week — marking their first public appearance together and signaling a united front against Western influence.
The parade, set for September 3, will commemorate China’s “Victory Day,” celebrating Japan’s formal surrender in World War II. This year’s event is expected to be one of China’s most elaborate in recent years, highlighting its military strength and deepening ties with global allies facing Western sanctions and isolation.
Beijing’s show of force will feature advanced military hardware, including fighter jets, missile defense systems, and hypersonic weapons — a move that comes amid growing regional tensions and China’s ongoing threats to reunify Taiwan by force, according to state media.
Putin’s attendance is especially notable. As the subject of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, his options for international travel are limited. China, which has not recognized the ICC’s authority, remains one of the few countries he can visit safely. Moscow increasingly views Beijing as its most critical strategic partner following sweeping Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
China has faced accusations from Ukrainian officials of indirectly supporting Russia’s war efforts, with reports that Chinese technology has been found in Russian drones. Meanwhile, Beijing remains one of Pyongyang’s closest allies, and Kim’s last visit to China was in 2019.
Out of the 26 foreign leaders invited, only Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico — a NATO member — is expected to attend, according to China’s foreign ministry.
Other confirmed attendees include Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, a former Chinese diplomat, will also be present, representing the international body.
The parade’s centerpiece will see Xi Jinping inspecting thousands of troops assembled in Tiananmen Square, joined by visiting dignitaries and top Chinese officials in a symbolic demonstration of China’s growing international alliances and military ambitions.
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