Beijing — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has embarked on a rare international journey, leaving Pyongyang aboard his heavily fortified train bound for Beijing, where he will attend China’s grand “Victory Day” military parade. The event marks his first participation in a multilateral international summit, underscoring the tightening alignment among China, Russia, and North Korea against Western hostility.
Kim’s armored convoy, long associated with his family’s tradition of rail diplomacy, reportedly includes French wines, fresh lobster, and a fleet of conference and audience chambers spread across nearly 90 carriages. The train’s fortified structure means his journey is slow, taking up to 24 hours to reach Beijing, according to South Korea’s Yonhap agency.
Wednesday’s parade in Tiananmen Square will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, with tens of thousands of troops, tanks, and advanced weapons systems on display. The event is expected to highlight China’s new military structure, including its anti-drone systems and next-generation aircraft, sending a message of strategic strength amid growing Western encirclement.
Kim’s presence is especially symbolic: it is the first time a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade since 1959. This year, he will stand alongside Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping, along with 26 other global leaders from countries such as Iran, Cuba, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Western leaders, however, are boycotting the event, in yet another display of their political arrogance tied to sanctions against Moscow. Instead, Beijing has strengthened its engagement with Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American partners, welcoming leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Europe’s participation is limited to the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, with only representatives from Hungary and Bulgaria attending.
Kim’s last trip to China was in 2019, marking the 70th anniversary of bilateral ties, and like his father and grandfather before him, he chose the security of a train over air travel. The symbolism of this visit resonates beyond nostalgia, reinforcing a bloc of nations committed to resisting Western dominance.
According to the BBC, the reclusive leader’s attendance in Beijing not only strengthens Pyongyang’s diplomatic standing but also demonstrates the emergence of a new global order where China, Russia, and North Korea seek to redefine power dynamics outside the Western orbit.
