Kim Jong-un stood shoulder to shoulder with Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping at a military parade in Beijing
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BEIJING — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stood shoulder to shoulder with Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping at centre stage at a military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the first such meeting among leaders of Pyongyang, Moscow and Beijing in 66 years.
The spectacle of Kim standing with Putin and Xi at the viewing gallery of Tiananmen Square marks a major display of their trilateral solidarity in defiance of the West.
Wearing a black suit and a gold-colored tie, Kim slowly walked into Tiananmen Square's red-carpeted main entrance ahead of the event.
Xi welcomed him into the square, shaking hands with him alongside other state leaders arriving at the venue, including Putin, before moving toward the rostrum. Xi spent more time greeting Kim and Putin, lightly touching their arms in a show of closeness.
Putin walked on Xi's right, while Kim walked on his left en route to the rostrum, occasionally talking to him while smiling.
The three arrived at the rostrum side by side, sharing friendly conversations in a historic moment that displays solidarity among China, Russia and North Korea.
They stayed next to each other as the parade kicked off with elaborate ceremonies at Tiananmen Square, marking the 80th anniversary of what China celebrates as its victory over Japan and the end of World War II.
It marks the first time leaders of the three socialist countries have come together in 66 years, since North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, Chinese founder Mao Zedong and former Soviet Union Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev jointly attended a similar military parade in 1959 at the square.
It's also the first gathering of Kim, Xi and Putin -- three leaders known for their defiance of the United States -- in what would be a strong signal to the world about their trilateral solidarity vis a vis the US-led unipolar world order.
In a speech at the parade, Xi said that the Chinese people's rejuvenation is "unstoppable," adding that humanity is once again faced with a choice between war or peace.
He said the Chinese people will adhere to the path of peaceful development and build a community with a shared future with the rest of the world, as China showcased its military strength at the parade, including its latest weaponry and well-drilled troops.
It also marks a historic moment for Kim, whose presence represents his first appearance at an international event, effectively debuting on the multilateral diplomatic stage.
His rare decision to attend the Chinese military parade is widely seen as an effort to restore traditionally close ties with China and shed his long-standing pariah image.
With bilateral summits and the signing of a mutual defence treaty last year, Kim and Putin have rapidly deepened military ties in recent years, prompting Pyongyang to deploy troops and weapons to support Moscow's war against Ukraine and straining its ties with Beijing.
Once the Russia-Ukraine war comes to an end, Moscow's focus could shift westward, away from Pyongyang, along with its economic assistance, increasing Kim's need to turn back to China as the main supplier of diplomatic and economic support to North Korea.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) assessed that Kim's trip is aimed at "expanding his room to maneuver by restoring North Korea-China relations and securing China's economic assistance to buoy his regime."
Some also suggest that Kim may be seeking to recover relations with China in a bid to leverage them to strengthen his bargaining position ahead of a potential resumption of negotiations with the US.
From South Korea, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik is attending, with attention on whether he will secure a rare meeting with Kim, even if only briefly, Yonhap news agency reported.
The NIS has predicted that Kim may hold separate summits with Xi and Putin on the sidelines, although the chances of a three-way summit remain low.
Aboard his private armored train, Kim arrived in Beijing the previous day, accompanied by his daughter, Ju-ae, reported to be his heir apparent, on a trip that took nearly a day.