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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's participation in a military parade in central Beijing, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, is an interesting moment, writes Laura Bicker for the BBC.
It is also a significant diplomatic victory for Xi. The Chinese leader has tried hard to project Beijing's power on the international stage - not only as the world's second-largest economy but also as a diplomatic heavyweight.
He has emphasized China's role as a stable trading partner, while Trump's tariffs have upended economic relations not only between them.
Now, as a deal with Putin to end the war in Ukraine continues to elude the US president, Xi is preparing to host him in Beijing.
Kim's participation, a surprise announcement, is no less significant. Trump said earlier this week, in a meeting with the South Korean president, that he wanted to meet again with Kim Jong Un.
His last attempt at diplomacy with the reclusive dictator ended without progress – despite two summits that stunned the world.
Trump is suggesting he wants to try again. Meanwhile, the Chinese leader is signaling that he may hold the geopolitical cards in this game and that his influence, while limited, on both Kim and Putin could be decisive in any deal.
The parade on September 3 will see a show of China's military might to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, ending its occupation of parts of China.
But now, Xi has turned it into a show of something more, and time is of the essence. The White House has suggested that President Trump could be in the region in late October and is open to meeting with Xi.
There is a lot on the table to discuss, from a long-awaited deal on tariffs and the sale of TikTok to the US, to Beijing's ability to convince Putin to agree to a ceasefire or more in Ukraine.
Now, having met with both Kim and Putin, the Chinese leader will be able to sit down with Trump without feeling left out, and given his close relationship with both leaders, he may even have information that his American counterpart does not have.
Russia and North Korea have been ostracized in the eyes of the Western world. Kim for much longer than Putin because of his weapons program, but his support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has renewed the condemnation.
So the invitation to Beijing is a big step for him — the last time a North Korean leader attended a military parade in China was in 1959. There has been little public contact between Xi and Kim since 2019, when they met to mark the 70th anniversary of China-North Korea ties. Beijing was also Kim Jong Un's first stop in 2018 before his summits with President Trump to curb Pyongyang's nuclear program.
Recently, Xi even seemed to be on the periphery of a deepening Moscow-Pyongyang alliance, an alliance that Beijing probably did not want to be a part of.
China has tried to remain publicly neutral on the war in Ukraine while seeking a peaceful resolution. But the US and its allies have accused Beijing of supporting Moscow's efforts by supplying components that Russia could use in its war effort.
Some analysts wonder whether China's relationship with North Korea has deteriorated as Kim has grown closer to Putin. But Kim's visit to Beijing next week suggests otherwise.
It's not a relationship the North Korean leader can easily give up — his economy is heavily dependent on China, which provides almost 90% of its food imports. And being on that stage not only with Putin and Xi, but also with other leaders, from Indonesia to Iran, also offers Kim legitimacy.
For Xi, this is diplomatic leverage with Washington ahead of a possible summit with Trump.
The two countries have continued talks to try to reach a deal and avoid devastating tariffs and a trade war. Another 90-day pause is in the works, but time is running out, so Xi will want the strongest possible hand as negotiations continue.
He has a lot to offer, as China has helped Trump in the past when he tried to meet with Kim Jong Un.
Can Xi do this again?
Perhaps most importantly, what role could China play in ending the war in Ukraine? The most intriguing question of all: could there be a meeting between Xi, Putin, Kim and Donald Trump?
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