Kim Jong Un ramps up trade diplomacy with a Beijing appearance

['Max Kim Is The Los Angeles Times Correspondent In Seoul. He Has Written The Area For The Atlantic', 'The New Yorker', 'Mit Technology Review', 'Other Publications', 'Helped To Produce News Documentaries For Vice News', 'The Bbc. Kim Grew Up In Seoul', 'Princeton', 'N.J.', 'Graduated The University Of Buffalo With A Degree In English', 'Comparative Literature. He Is A Winner Of The Sopa Award For Editorial Excellence In Feature Writing'] Los Angeles Times 2025-09-03 00:00:00

At a military parade in Beijing featuring China’s next-generation weaponry, another momentous scene was on display: Chinese President Xi Jinping standing side by side with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It comes amid growing concern about the increasing collaboration of the “axis of upheaval,” a term that denotes China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea and their opposition to the U.S.-led world order. It marks Kim’s first foray into multilateral diplomacy since assuming power in 2011. Advertisement“The trip was an undeniable political victory for Kim Jong Un,” said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korea studies at Seoul’s Ewha Womans University. “China doesn’t gain anything by forming a bloc with North Korea,” Park, the professor, said.