He can't afford to be abandoned by both powers
In Beijing, three leaders whose nations each stand in tension with Washington found themselves briefly sharing the same ceremonial ground — a moment that was neither accidental nor, experts caution, the birth of a formal alliance. Kim Jong Un's first visit to China in six years, culminating in talks with Xi Jinping after standing alongside Putin at a parade marking eighty years since World War II's end, reflects the careful choreography of a leader seeking balance: deepening one partnership without abandoning another. History rarely moves in straight lines, and Kim's presence in Beijing suggests he understands that leverage, not loyalty, is the currency of survival.
- Kim Jong Un's rare appearance on Chinese soil — his first in six years — immediately raised the stakes of an already charged geopolitical moment.
- The image of Kim, Xi, and Putin together at a military parade sent shockwaves through Western capitals, with Trump publicly accusing the three of conspiring against the United States.
- Beneath the spectacle lies a real tension: Kim's military partnership with Russia, tested in live combat in Ukraine, had quietly strained his relationship with Beijing, his most essential economic lifeline.
- By requesting talks with Xi, Kim is attempting to rebalance — signaling that China still matters, even as Russian guns and rubles flow into Pyongyang.
- Analysts warn against overstating the trilateral optics, noting China has little interest in being seen as formally aligned with the world's most isolated regime.
- The visit may also be a calculated move toward future negotiations with Trump, with Kim building visible leverage before any diplomatic opening.
Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing by train on Tuesday, stepping onto Chinese soil for the first time in six years. By Wednesday, he stood beside Vladimir Putin and two dozen world leaders watching military jets cross the sky at a parade marking eighty years since the end of World War II. On Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry confirmed what observers had anticipated: Kim would meet with Xi Jinping.
No date or agenda was announced, but the symbolism was clear. Kim has spent recent years tilting toward Russia — sending troops and ammunition to support the Ukraine invasion in exchange for economic and military aid — and this trip appeared to be a deliberate effort to tend to his relationship with China, North Korea's largest trading partner and primary source of aid. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the visit and forthcoming talks a matter of "great significance."
Kim's attendance at the parade was itself historic. Since taking power in 2011, he had never joined a multilateral gathering of this scale. He brought his young daughter, widely believed to be his chosen successor, adding another layer of meaning to an already closely watched appearance.
The image of Kim, Xi, and Putin together proved impossible to ignore. Trump posted that the three were conspiring against the United States. Putin, asked about it, offered a wry deflection. Yet experts urged restraint in interpreting the moment — Zhu Feng of Nanjing University cautioned that China would harm its own standing by appearing to align formally with North Korea, and that no true alliance was forming.
Still, the timing was deliberate. Kim's deepening partnership with Russia had raised questions in Beijing about where his loyalties lay. By making this trip, he signaled that China remained indispensable. Analysts also noted a forward-looking dimension: the more powerful partners Kim could display, the stronger his position in any future diplomacy with Trump, who has long expressed interest in resuming talks with Pyongyang. For now, the world waited to learn what was said behind closed doors.
Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing by train on Tuesday, stepping onto Chinese soil for the first time in six years. By Wednesday, he was standing alongside Vladimir Putin and two dozen other world leaders, watching military jets thunder across the sky in a parade marking eighty years since the end of World War II. On Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry confirmed what observers had been waiting to hear: the North Korean leader would sit down with Xi Jinping for talks.
The meeting itself carried no announced date or agenda details. But the symbolism was unmistakable. Kim, who has spent recent years tilting heavily toward Russia—sending combat troops and ammunition to support the invasion of Ukraine in exchange for economic and military aid—was now making a deliberate move to tend to his relationship with China, the country that remains North Korea's largest trading partner and primary source of aid. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the two leaders would exchange views on bilateral relations and matters of shared interest, describing the parade attendance and the forthcoming talks as carrying "great significance."
Kim's presence at the parade itself was noteworthy. Since taking power in late 2011, he had never before joined a gathering of this scale with so many world leaders in one place. The choice to bring his young daughter added another layer of intrigue—observers have long speculated that she is being groomed to eventually lead North Korea, and her appearance alongside him on the international stage seemed to signal confidence in that succession plan.
The real question hanging over the visit was what it meant for the triangle formed by Kim, Xi, and Putin standing together in Beijing. Trump, watching from across the Pacific, posted on social media that the three were "conspiring against The United States of America." Putin, asked about this at a news conference, dismissed the idea with a light touch, saying the American president "is not without a sense of humor." But the optics were hard to ignore—three leaders whom Washington views with deep suspicion, all in the same place, all facing separate confrontations with the United States.
Experts urged caution about reading too much into the moment. Zhu Feng, dean of Nanjing University's School of International Relations, warned that China would damage its own image by appearing to "gang up" with North Korea, which he described as the world's most closed and authoritarian state. The three countries, he suggested, were not moving toward any formal alliance, and the appearance of coordination should not be overstated.
Yet the timing was deliberate on Kim's part. His deepening military partnership with Russia—now tested in actual combat in Ukraine—had raised questions in Beijing about where North Korean loyalty ultimately lay. By making this trip, by sitting down with Xi, Kim was signaling that China remained important, that the relationship was worth preserving. Analysts also noted that Kim may have been positioning himself for potential future negotiations with Trump, who has repeatedly expressed interest in resuming diplomacy with North Korea. The more leverage Kim could demonstrate—the more he could show himself as a player with multiple powerful partners—the stronger his hand might be in any such talks. For now, the world waited to see what would be said behind closed doors.
Notable Quotes
The two leaders would conduct in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern, with the parade attendance and talks carrying great significance.— Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun
China would damage its image by appearing to gang up with North Korea, the world's most closed and authoritarian state, and the three-way relationship should not be overinterpreted.— Zhu Feng, dean of Nanjing University's School of International Relations
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Kim's trip to China matter right now, when he's been so focused on Russia?
Because China is still his lifeline. Russia is useful for military support and weapons, but China feeds North Korea. If that relationship frays, Kim has a real problem.
Is this a sign that the Russia alliance is falling apart?
Not necessarily. It's more that Kim is hedging. He's sent thousands of troops to Ukraine. If that war ends soon, he needs to know China still has his back. He can't afford to be abandoned by both powers.
What about the daughter being there? Does that change anything?
It signals confidence and continuity. He's saying to the world: I have a plan for succession, and I'm stable enough to bring her into these high-stakes moments. It's a statement about his regime's future.
Trump said they were conspiring against America. Is that actually happening?
Probably not in any formal way. These three countries have separate interests. But they're all under U.S. pressure, so there's natural alignment. The real question is whether it becomes something deeper or stays tactical.
What does Kim want out of the Xi meeting?
Reassurance. He needs to hear that China won't abandon him, that the aid keeps flowing, that the relationship survives his pivot toward Russia. And maybe he wants to show Trump that he has options—that if negotiations happen, he's not desperate.