Xi shows Trump who holds the cards by hosting Kim and Putin https://t.co/hzN6Vo8tKI
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 28, 2025
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending a military parade in the centre of Beijing, alongside Russian president Vladimir Putin and China’s leader Xi Jinping, is quite the photo-op.
It’s also a key diplomatic win for Xi.
The Chinese leader has been trying hard to project Beijing’s power on the international stage – not just as the world’s second-largest economy, but also as a diplomatic heavyweight.
He has emphasised China’s role as a stable trading partner while Trump’s tariffs upended economic relationships.