
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will attend a military parade in Beijing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin.
China announced what will be the first multilateral summit of the North Korean dictator. The event will mark a diplomatic victory for Xi Jinping, who is working towards a new global order led by China.
It will allow the Chinese president to show his influence, both on Putin and Kim, at a time when Washington is trying to make a deal with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump will not attend but said earlier this week he wanted to meet with the leader of Pyongyang, who has alienated the West over its growing nuclear arsenal and support for Russia.
China's Victory Day parade will mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II and the end of the conflict. Putin and Kim Jong-un will be among 26 heads of state expected to attend the parade.
This is the first time a North Korean leader has attended such an event in China since 1959. Beijing is likely to display new weapons, including hundreds of aircraft, tanks and anti-drone systems. It will be the first time that China's new military structure will be fully displayed in a parade.
The elaborate event will involve tens of thousands of soldiers marching in formation through the historic Tiananmen Square. It will be overseen by Xi Jinping and closely watched by analysts and Western powers.