Kim Jong-un and Putin to attend Chinese military parade in Beijing next week

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will make a rare trip abroad next week to attend a military parade in the Chinese capital, North Korean and Chinese state media said Thursday.

China will hold the parade in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Attendees will include 26 foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Chinese official Xinhua News Agency said. It cited Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei as saying Kim will attend what it called “China’s V-Day commemorations" on 3 September.

North Korea’s state news agency confirmed Kim will visit China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the war’s end. It gave no further details, including when Kim will depart from North Korea and how long he will stay in China.

No leaders from the United States or major Western European countries are expected, in part because of their differences with Putin over the war in Ukraine.

If Kim's trip is realised, it would be his first trip to China since 2019.

In an attempt to break out of diplomatic isolation, Kim has recently aimed to expand relations with countries confronting Washington. He dismissed US and South Korean efforts to restart diplomacy aimed at defusing the North’s nuclear programme, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with Trump during his first term.

China has long been North Korea’s biggest trading partner and main aid provider, but there have been questions about their relations in recent years.

North Korea has been focused on expanding cooperation with Russia by supplying troops and ammunition to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. But many observers say North Korea is expected to take steps to improve ties with China.

In 2023, about 97% of North Korea’s external trade was with China, while 1.2% was with Russia.

North Korea has also become more vocal in international affairs beyond the Korean Peninsula, issuing statements on conflicts in the Middle East and issues related to the Taiwan Strait.