At Beijing’s victory day parade, China, Russia, and North Korea staged a choreographed show of unity that could mark a shift in the global balance of power.
A photograph once unthinkable is now real: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un walking side by side through Tiananmen Square, leading more than 20 world leaders at a military parade. For years, the idea of China, Russia, and North Korea openly embracing each other was dismissed as fantasy—or propaganda. Today, it’s a choreographed reality, a tableau designed to send shockwaves through Washington, Brussels, and Tokyo.
The context matters. Russia’s war in Ukraine has dragged on for more than three years, with Moscow dependent on North Korean shells and drones to keep its war machine alive. Kim has seized the opportunity, trading weapons for cash and political relevance. Xi, meanwhile, is trying to project stability abroad while facing a stalling economy, deflation, and a collapsing property market at home.
Each man is constrained by crises. Yet together, they presented themselves as the nucleus of a new order—the so-called axis of upheaval. The symbolism was unmistakable: a counterweight to Western alliances, a public rejection of U.S. dominance, and a reminder that Trump’s re-election has fractured the West’s confidence.
Still, unity has limits. Beijing is irritated by Putin’s endless war, which risks dragging China into harsher sanctions. North Korea’s role as arms dealer unnerves Xi, who prefers discipline over chaos. But optics matter in geopolitics—and Wednesday’s parade was optics weaponized.
Even Trump took notice, posting a barbed message on Truth Social reminding Xi of America’s role in defeating Japan 80 years ago. “Give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un,” he sneered, “as you conspire against the United States of America.”
What happens next is unclear. A photo op does not make an alliance. Yet in global politics, images can shift perceptions faster than treaties. Western capitals will be dissecting this one for months: a Chinese-led bloc marching into view, daring the world to call it a threat.
