North Korean leader Kim Jong Un joined Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on September 3, 2025, for a major military parade marking the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the end of World War II.
The gathering was notable because Xi, Putin and Kim appeared together at a highly visible international event for the first time. Their joint appearance demonstrated increasingly close political ties among Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang, but it did not by itself establish a formal three-way military alliance or prove that the three governments had agreed on a coordinated strategy.
More than two dozen foreign leaders attended the parade. China's official account of the commemoration described its purpose as remembering the war, honoring those who died, preserving peace and looking toward the future.
What Happened at the Beijing Parade
Xi presided over the September 3 ceremony at Tiananmen Square, where China displayed military personnel and weapons systems. Putin and Kim were among the most prominent visiting leaders and walked with Xi before taking their places for the parade.
The event followed several days of intensive diplomacy. Putin had traveled to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin as well as the anniversary events. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry's account of Xi's September 2 meeting with Putin, the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and continued strategic coordination.
Kim's appearance was also diplomatically significant. China later confirmed that Xi and Kim would hold talks on China-North Korea relations and issues of mutual concern. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Kim had attended the anniversary events at Xi's invitation.
Kim Jong Un's Visit Put North Korea Back on a Major Diplomatic Stage
Kim's trip placed the North Korean leader alongside two of Pyongyang's most important international partners at a time when North Korea remained subject to extensive international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic-missile programs.
North Korea has strengthened its relationship with Russia in recent years while maintaining its longstanding relationship with China. The Beijing appearance therefore carried substantial diplomatic symbolism, although the public ceremony alone did not reveal the extent to which the three governments might coordinate future security policies.
Pyongyang has continued to resist international pressure over its weapons programs while presenting them as necessary for national defense. News Fusion 365 has previously covered North Korea's criticism of U.S. missile-defense plans and its broader confrontation with Washington in North Korea Says US Golden Dome Risks Escalating Nuclear Competition.
Putin's Visit Highlighted the China-Russia Partnership
Putin's presence reflected the extensive political relationship Moscow and Beijing have developed, particularly as Russia has faced Western sanctions and diplomatic pressure following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
China and Russia describe their relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership. That relationship includes diplomatic, economic and security cooperation, but China and Russia are not bound by a NATO-style mutual-defense treaty.
Xi and Putin held bilateral talks during the Russian president's visit. Beijing said the two sides intended to maintain high-level exchanges and deepen cooperation. Putin also attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit before participating in the September 3 commemorations.
Symbolism Does Not Automatically Mean a Three-Way Alliance
The images of Xi, Putin and Kim standing together attracted international attention because all three governments have major disputes with the United States and some U.S. allies. However, describing their appearance as proof of a unified military bloc would go beyond the available evidence.
China, Russia and North Korea have different strategic interests and different relationships with one another. Russia and North Korea have substantially expanded military cooperation, while China's relationships with Moscow and Pyongyang operate through separate diplomatic and strategic frameworks.
Before the parade, China's Foreign Ministry was specifically asked whether the three leaders might hold a trilateral meeting. On September 2, ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said he had no information to provide about such a meeting. The public appearance the following day therefore should not be treated as evidence that a formal trilateral summit or new security pact occurred.
The WWII Anniversary and China's Message
The parade commemorated what Beijing officially calls the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. China places the conflict within the broader history of World War II and emphasizes the enormous human cost of China's resistance to Imperial Japan.
In his September 3 address, Xi said the commemoration was intended to remember history, honor fallen heroes, cherish peace and create a better future. The ceremony also provided China with an opportunity to display the modernization of the People's Liberation Army.
Military displays can demonstrate equipment and capabilities, but they do not establish an intention to use those capabilities in a particular conflict. The parade therefore offered evidence of China's military modernization and political messaging rather than proof of an imminent military operation.
What the Gathering Means for East Asian Security
The appearance of Xi, Putin and Kim together mattered to governments across East Asia because each relationship intersects with existing security disputes.
South Korea closely monitors North Korea's nuclear and missile programs as well as Pyongyang's expanding relationship with Moscow. Japan faces North Korean missile threats, has territorial disputes with China in the East China Sea and has its own unresolved territorial dispute with Russia.
Taiwan also closely follows Chinese military modernization and exercises around the island. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of China and has not renounced the use of force to achieve unification. Taiwan is self-governed, and its government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. None of those longstanding disputes, however, means the September 3 parade itself demonstrated an agreed Chinese-Russian-North Korean plan for military action against Taiwan, Japan or South Korea.
How Other Governments Viewed the Event
Some Western officials interpreted the gathering as evidence of growing cooperation among governments that frequently challenge U.S. and European policies. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, for example, publicly characterized the gathering in strongly critical terms and argued that it demonstrated a challenge to the international order.
Beijing presented a very different interpretation. Chinese officials said the anniversary commemorated the defeat of fascism and emphasized peace, historical remembrance and international cooperation. These competing descriptions reflect broader geopolitical disagreements and should not be treated as interchangeable statements of fact.
The United States, meanwhile, continued to face several distinct policy questions involving China, Russia and North Korea. By September 2025, Donald Trump—not Joe Biden—was serving as U.S. president, making references to a contemporary "Biden administration" response inaccurate.
What the Beijing Images Do — and Do Not — Establish
The September 3 parade produced a powerful image: the leaders of China, Russia and North Korea standing together during one of Beijing's largest commemorative military events. It confirmed that all three governments were willing to display their relationships publicly at the highest political level.
What it did not establish was equally important. The appearance did not itself create a trilateral military alliance, prove common plans for a regional conflict or demonstrate that Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang would act together in every international dispute.
The more consequential developments are the concrete agreements and actions behind the symbolism: China-Russia diplomatic and economic cooperation, Russia-North Korea military ties, China's relationship with Pyongyang, and each government's subsequent decisions on regional and global security issues.
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