Image source, Getty Images
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- Author, Laura Bicker
- Author's title, China correspondent
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The assistance of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to a military parade in the center of Beijing next week, together with the Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, is an opportunity for the three leaders to photograph themselves together.
It also involves a key diplomatic victory for XI.
The Chinese leader has struggled to project Beijing's power on the international stage, not only as the second largest economy in the world, but also as a diplomatic heavyweight.
The president has emphasized the role of China as a stable commercial partner, while Trump's tariffs disrupted economic relations to world level.
Now, while an agreement with Putin to end the war in Ukraine continues to avoid the US president, XI prepares to receive it in Beijing.
Kim's assistance, a surprise ad, is no less significant. Trump declared earlier this week, at a meeting with the South Korean president, who wanted to meet Kim Jong-un.
His last diplomatic attempt with the lonely North Korean ruler ended without progress, despite two summits that captivated the world. Trump suggests that he wants to try again.
Meanwhile, the Chinese leader is giving signs that he could have the last word in this geopolitical game, and that his influence on both Kim and Putin, although limited, could be crucial in any agreement.
The September 3 parade will be an exhibition of Chinese military power to commemorate the 80 years of Japan's surrender in World War II, which ended its occupation of parts of China.
But now Xi has made him a sample of something else, and the moment is key. The White House has suggested that Trump could be in the region at the end of October and is open to meet XI.
There are many issues on the table to discuss, from an expected tariff agreement and the sale of Tiktok in the US, to Beijing's ability to persuade Putin that he accepts a stop to fire or something else in Ukraine.
Now, after meeting with Kim and Putin, the Chinese leader could sit with Trump without feeling excluded, and given his close relationship with both leaders, he could even have information that his American counterpart is unaware.
The alliance between Putin and Kim
Image source, Getty Images
Russia and North Korea are out of the eyes of the western world; Kim for much longer than Putin due to his arms program, but his support for the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow has renewed the conviction.
Therefore, the invitation to Beijing is a great step to him: the last time a North Korean leader attended a military parade in China was in 1959.
There has been little public contact between XI and Kim since 2019, when they gathered to commemorate the 70th anniversary of relations between China and North Korea.
Beijing was also Kim Jong-un's first stop in 2018 before his summits with Trump to stop the Pyongyang nuclear program.
More recently, Xi even seemed to stay out of an increasingly deep alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang, one of which Pekin perhaps did not want to be part.
China has tried to remain publicly neutral regarding war in Ukraine, while urging a peaceful solution.
However, USA and its allies have accused Beijing of supporting Moscow's efforts by providing components that Russia can use in its war effort.
Image source, Getty Images
Diplomatic advantage
Some analysts wondered if China's relationship with North Korea had deteriorated as Kim approached Putin.
But Kim's visit to Beijing next week suggests otherwise.
It is not a relationship that the North Korean leader can easily abandon: its economy depends largely on China, which provides almost 90% of food imports. And being on that scenario not only with Putin and XI, but also with the leaders of Indonesia, Iran and others also gives him legitimacy.
For XI, this represents a diplomatic advantage with Washington for a possible summit with Trump.
Both countries have continued conversations to try to reach an agreement and avoid ruinous tariffs and a commercial war.
Another 90 -day tariff pause is underway, but time is pressing, so Xi will want to exert the greatest possible pressure as negotiations progress.
XI has a lot to offer: China helped Trump in the past when he tried to meet with Kim Jong-un. Could you do it again?
More importantly, perhaps, it is the role that China could play to end war in Ukraine.
The most shocking question of all: could there be a meeting between Xi, Putin, Kim and Trump?
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