It will be his first visit to neighbouring China for more than six years and offers a rare opportunity for bilateral talks with Xi Jinping
It will be the reclusive leader’s first visit to China for more than six years.
Kim’s surprise attendance marks an upgrade by North Korea after it sent senior official Choe Ryong-hae to China’s last Victory Day parade a decade ago.
The event will offer a rare chance for a bilateral meeting between Xi and Kim, who have not met in person since 2019 when Kim visited Beijing and Xi went to Pyongyang.
Next week’s trip comes as the traditionally strong ties between China and North Korea have shown signs of strain in recent years, with analysts saying Pyongyang’s military support for and growing strategic alignment with Moscow suggests Beijing could have been sidelined.
