Beijing: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is set to make his first appearance on the multilateral diplomatic stage this week in China, where he plans to attend a military parade in Beijing. This event may pave the way for a potential three-way summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Yonhap News Agency, this marks Kim's inaugural participation in a multilateral diplomatic event since assuming power in 2011. His grandfather, Kim Il-sung, who founded North Korea, attended a similar military parade in Beijing in 1959. Kim's decision to join the military parade, which commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, was announced shortly after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump expressed their willingness to renew diplomatic talks with North Korea during their summit in Washington. Kim's presence at the parade alongside Putin and Xi signals a possible disinterest in engaging with South Korea or the United States. Ki m and Putin have strengthened their military ties, with North Korea dispatching troops and weapons to support Russia's conflict in Ukraine. North Korean state media confirmed that Kim finalized his decision to deploy troops on August 28 of the previous year. Russian media reports that Kim, Putin, and Xi will attend the parade at Tiananmen Square on September 3. A Kremlin official noted that Kim would be seated to Xi's left, with Putin on Xi's right. Kim's journey to China via his special train could take around 20 hours, and analysts in South Korea suggest he is more inclined to use this mode of transport instead of his private plane, "Chammae-1." In a 2023 speech, Kim alluded to a "new Cold War" and emphasized North Korea's intention for "anti-U.S. solidarity," suggesting diplomatic efforts to counterbalance the U.S. and its allies. Analysts indicate that Kim's trip to China may also be an effort to repair relations with Beijing, anticipating a potential end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which could redi rect Moscow's focus. Since last year, North Korea has aligned closely with Moscow, providing military support for Russia's war against Ukraine and relying on Russia for resources and assistance. This alignment has strained North Korea's ties with China, but recent gestures, such as Choe Ryong-hae's attendance at a Chinese Embassy reception in Pyongyang, suggest improving relations between the two nations. Experts believe Kim's participation in the military parade could strategically enhance North Korea's negotiations with the U.S. by leveraging closer ties with China. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, stated that Kim aims to use the trip to bolster North Korea-China, North Korea-Russia, and North Korea-China-Russia solidarity as a countermeasure against Western sanctions.