Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in Beijing next week, marking their first public appearance alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping in a show of collective defiance amid Western pressure.
China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that 26 foreign heads of state and government will take part in the event. No Western leaders are expected, except Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the sole representative from a European Union member state.
The “Victory Day” parade on 3 September, commemorating Japan’s surrender in the Second World War, comes amid Beijing’s growing military strength. Analysts say the presence of Putin and Kim underscores China’s alignment with sanctions-hit Russia and North Korea, both facing intense isolation from the West.
Russia, regarded as a strategic partner by Beijing, has been hit with multiple rounds of sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, pushing its economy towards recession. Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, last visited China in 2024.
North Korea, a treaty ally of China, has been under United Nations Security Council sanctions since 2006 for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Kim last travelled to China in January 2019.
Other foreign leaders expected at the parade include Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Iran’s President Masoud Pezashkian, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić.
The United Nations will be represented by Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, a former Chinese diplomat who previously served as ambassador to Italy, San Marino and Myanmar.
On the day, Xi will review tens of thousands of troops at Tiananmen Square, joined by senior Chinese leaders and visiting dignitaries. The parade, billed as one of China’s largest in recent years, will showcase advanced weaponry, including fighter jets, missile defence systems, and hypersonic arms.
