Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, arrived in China to attend a military parade alongside Chinese and Russian officials, according to North Korean state media. This marks Kim’s first visit to China since 2019 and his fifth since he came into power after his father’s death in 2011.
Several top North Korean officials accompanied Kim, including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. As US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung express hopes for renewed talks with North Korea, Pyongyang has so far refused discussions while continuing to expand its nuclear arsenal.
More than two dozen world leaders, including those from Russia and China, will join Chinese President Xi Jinping to watch the parade commemorating 80 years since the end of the Second World War. This will be the first time that Kim, Xi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin gather at the same venue. Putin is considering meeting with his North Korean counterpart in China. Xi, Putin, and Kim could possibly hold a trilateral meeting in Beijing to discuss their strengthening ties.
North Korea has been supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine with soldiers and ammunition in exchange for economic and military assistance from Moscow. Although North Korea’s relations with China have been strained in recent years, experts believe that Kim seeks to improve the relationship, with China being North Korea’s main supporter.
Edited by Wesley Dockery.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/kim-jong-un-enters-china-ahead-of-beijing-military-parade/a-73843199?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
