An event meant to commemorate the end of a historic global conflict is now the stage for new global tensions. Next week, China will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a military parade in Beijing, but the guest list highlights a world deeply divided.
The parade will feature North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, making a rare trip abroad, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their host, Chinese President Xi Jinping, will welcome 24 other heads of state, but no leaders from the United States or major Western European nations will attend. Their boycott is a pointed protest against Putin’s presence amid the war in Ukraine.
For Kim Jong Un, this visit is his first to China since 2019 and is seen as a crucial effort to reaffirm his alliance with his country’s primary benefactor. China is the economic backbone for North Korea, and this high-profile visit is a necessary gesture to maintain that support.
Ultimately, the historical anniversary serves as a mere backdrop for contemporary power plays. The image of Kim, Xi, and Putin together will be broadcast globally as a symbol of a strengthening coalition, transforming a day of remembrance into a statement of modern-day defiance.