China is using history as a weapon in a modern power play, with its upcoming WWII parade serving as the backdrop for a major geopolitical statement. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will be a central figure, attending the Wednesday event in Beijing in his first trip abroad since 2019.
The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the war’s end has been transformed by contemporary conflicts. A boycott by U.S. and major Western European leaders—a protest against the presence of Russia’s Vladimir Putin—effectively turns the event into a rally for a non-Western bloc.
Kim’s visit is a critical move to shore up his alliance with China, the nation that provides his regime with economic life support. This high-profile appearance is designed to ensure that the vital flow of trade and aid continues uninterrupted.
By gathering Kim and Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping is showcasing a powerful coalition. The event leverages the memory of a past war to draw the battle lines of a new era of global competition.