Overview

• Kim Jong Un entered China aboard his heavily armoured train, with KCNA releasing photos of him on the platform and working inside the carriage.
• The parade marks 80 years since the end of World War II and will feature a 70‑minute procession, flyovers and the unveiling of new Chinese weaponry, preceded by a Xi Jinping speech around 9 a.m. local time.
• Beijing has imposed sweeping security measures, including road closures, soldiers posted on bridges and long stretches of metal barriers along major avenues.
• Event protocol and seating are being kept secret, and an in‑person Xi‑Kim‑Putin meeting has been speculated but is not confirmed.
• Analysts frame Kim’s presence as a sign of his acceptance within a China‑led diplomatic orbit as reporting continues to cite North Korean munitions and personnel support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, with no major Western leaders expected at the event.