Beijing Bound: Kim Jong Un’s First Foreign Trip in Years

In a rare move, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is scheduled to travel to Beijing next week for his first trip abroad since 2019. He will be a guest of honor at a grand military parade on Wednesday commemorating the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II. His attendance was announced simultaneously in Pyongyang and Beijing.
The event is designed to be a major spectacle, with Chinese President Xi Jinping hosting 25 other world leaders. Among the most prominent guests will be Russian President Vladimir Putin. Notably absent will be heads of state from the U.S. and key Western European allies, who are boycotting the event due to divisions with Russia over the war in Ukraine.
Kim’s decision to travel to China is highly significant for the historically close but recently complex relationship between the two countries. China remains North Korea’s primary benefactor and trading partner, with trade between them constituting nearly all of North Korea’s external commerce. Analysts suggest the trip is intended to shore up diplomatic and economic ties.
This visit is set against a backdrop of Pyongyang’s burgeoning relationship with Moscow. By appearing in Beijing with both Xi and Putin, Kim Jong Un is signaling a clear strategic alignment, reinforcing an eastern bloc of nations that are increasingly challenging the global influence of the West.