In a show of solidarity with the aggressors in Europe's worst war in 80 years, Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet his Russian and North Korean counterparts for the first time, as Donald Trump and other Western leaders watch from the sidelines, Reuters reports.
The visit of Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un to Beijing for a massive military parade this week underscores the Chinese president's influence over authoritarian regimes seeking to reshape the Western-led world order, while Trump's isolationist stance strains long-standing U.S. alliances.
The gathering of what Western analysts call the "Axis of "the vicissitudes" could be based on a mutual defense agreement signed by Russia and North Korea in June 2024, and a similar alliance between Beijing and Pyongyang - an outcome that could change the military calculus in the Asia-Pacific region.
Kim arrived in China early this morning on his special train en route to the capital Beijing. Meanwhile, Xi and Putin gathered at the Great Hall of the People for a meeting with the Mongolian leader, where they are expected to discuss a large-scale gas pipeline project and hold bilateral talks.
Putin thanked his "dear friend" Xi for the warm welcome and said the close communication showed that Russia-China relations were at an "unprecedentedly high" level.
"We must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics," Xi insisted before a summit on Wednesday attended by more than 20 non-Western leaders. His words were a thinly veiled jab at his geopolitical rival across the Pacific.
Xi also held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, restoring strained bilateral ties as Trump stepped up trade pressure on New Delhi over its purchases of Russian oil. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant called the summit "a staged" and accused China and India of being "bad actors" by fueling Russia's war with Ukraine.
WARNING SIGNAL
At a time when Trump is touting his peacemaking credentials, any new buildup of military power in the East that includes Russia would be a warning signal to the West.
"Trilateral military exercises between Russia, China, and North Korea seem all but inevitable," wrote Yongjun Kim, an analyst at the U.S.-based National Bureau of Asian Studies, in March. He noted how the conflict in Ukraine has brought Moscow and Pyongyang closer together.
"Until a few years ago, China and Russia were important partners in imposing international sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. "Now they are potential military partners of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea during a crisis on the Korean Peninsula," he added.
Kim is a major player in the conflict in Ukraine: the North Korean leader has sent more than 15,000 troops to support Putin's war.
In 2024, he also hosted the Russian leader in Pyongyang. It was the first such summit in 24 years, a move interpreted as a defiance of Xi and an attempt to reduce North Korea's dependence on China.
About 600 North Korean soldiers have died fighting for Russia in the Kursk region. South Korea's intelligence agency believes Pyongyang is planning a new troop deployment.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, Putin also said that a "fair balance in the security sphere" must be restored. - an abbreviation for Russia's criticism of NATO expansion and European security to the east.
His visit to Beijing and the expected meeting with Xi and Kim could provide clues to the Russian leader's intentions.