Overview

• China’s Foreign Ministry and North Korea’s KCNA said Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un will join 26 invited leaders at the Tiananmen Square parade, marking Kim’s first trip to China since 2019.
• The “Victory Day” commemoration of Japan’s 1945 surrender will feature more than 10,000 troops and cutting-edge Chinese weapons as President Xi Jinping reviews the forces.
• No major Western leaders are expected; Slovakia’s Robert Fico is the only Western head of government listed, alongside leaders from Iran, Indonesia, Belarus and Serbia.
• Analysts are watching for possible bilateral or three-way meetings among Xi, Putin and Kim, which have not been announced.
• The gathering follows strengthened North Korea–Russia ties, including reported munitions transfers and troop deployments to support Moscow in Ukraine, while South Korea will be represented by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik.