North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Beijing with his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, to attend China’s largest-ever military parade. The highly anticipated “Victory Day” celebration on Wednesday will see him stand alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other world leaders.
Photos captured Kim stepping off his armored train at Beijing Railway Station with his daughter, who South Korea’s intelligence service has previously identified as his “most likely” successor. Kim Ju Ae, believed to be around 10 years old, has increasingly appeared in public with her father since her debut in November 2022.
The parade marks the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War Two and comes at a crucial moment for Xi, who seeks to showcase China’s diplomatic clout and military strength. The 70-minute spectacle will feature hundreds of aircraft, tanks, anti-drone systems, and advanced weaponry — the first time China’s new force structure will be fully on display.
Kim’s presence is highly symbolic. It is the first time a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade in decades; his grandfather, Kim Il-Sung, last did so in 1959. The visit also underscores the deepening ties between Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang amid ongoing tensions with the United States and its allies.
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Putin and Xi, both under pressure from the West, are expected to use the occasion to highlight their alignment. China has been accused of aiding Russia’s war effort by purchasing oil and supplying dual-use materials — allegations Beijing denies. Meanwhile, Kim has reportedly supplied Russia with both weapons and troops since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
More than two dozen other leaders will attend, including representatives from Iran, Cuba, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam — further evidence of Beijing’s outreach to the Global South. From Europe, only Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will attend in person, with Bulgaria and Hungary sending envoys.
The carefully choreographed display at Tiananmen Square is intended not just as a commemoration but as a statement: China, with allies by its side, aims to rival U.S. influence on the world stage. For Kim, attending the parade alongside his daughter reaffirms both his regime’s survival strategy and the grooming of his young successor.