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Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, stand atop the Tiananmen gate in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2025, as they observe a massive military parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan and the end of WWII. (Kyodo/Yonhap)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stood alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin as he watched China’s “Victory Day” celebrations on Wednesday.

The holiday commemorates China’s victory in what it regards as the “People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War,” otherwise known as World War II.

Kim stood atop the Tiananmen gate to watch the Victory Day parade, which took place in Tiananmen Square, in Beijing, on Wednesday morning. While some 20 heads of state were present at the event, Kim occupied a place of honor, standing to Xi’s left, while Putin stood on his right.

The last time the leaders of North Korea, China and Russia were all in the same place at the same time was a 10-year anniversary celebration of the Bandung Conference in Indonesia in 1965.

The event began at 9 am with an opening speech by Li Qiang, the premier of China’s State Council, and continued with a troop review and military parade. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un chat as they make their way to the Tiananmen gate in Beijing for the country’s Victory Day festivities on Sept. 3, 2025. (TASS/Yonhap)

By Cheon Ho-sung, staff reporter

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