China hosts Russian and North Korean dictators, USA sidelined
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has openly signaled support for nations waging aggressive wars — by inviting Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to Beijing, Reuters wrote on Sept. 2.
The summit marks the first in-person meeting between the three leaders and comes amid Donald Trump’s isolationist foreign policy and growing Western concern over rising authoritarian influence worldwide.
Reuters stressed that Xi is “rolling out the red carpet” for the aggressors behind the war in Ukraine.
The presence of both dictators at the military parade in Beijing, scheduled for Sept. 3, underscores Xi’s influence over regimes determined to challenge the Western-led global order.
Analysts have dubbed this alignment an emerging “Axis of Upheaval”, referencing the defense pact signed between Moscow and Pyongyang in June 2024, and raising the prospect of a similar agreement with China. This move could reshape the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region.
Kim Jong Un arrived in China by armored train, while Xi and Putin held bilateral talks in the Great Hall of the People, where they also met with the President of Mongolia to discuss joint energy projects.
Putin thanked "his dear friend" Xi for the “warm welcome”, declaring that bilateral ties had reached an “unprecedented level.” In turn, Xi urged the world to resist “hegemonism and the politics of force” — a clear reference to the United States.
Strategic meetings and rising tensions
The Beijing summit follows Xi’s recent meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as China seeks to ease tensions with New Delhi.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to pressure India over its imports of Russian oil. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed the summit as “political theater”, accusing China and India of enabling Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Western analysts fear that a tighter military alliance between Moscow, Beijing, and Pyongyang could lead to joint military exercises and deepening defense cooperation. Not long ago, both China and Russia were key players in sanctioning North Korea — now, both treat it as a potential military ally.
South Korean intelligence recently confirmed that Pyongyang has already sent over 15,000 troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine. During battles in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, around 600 North Korean soldiers were reportedly killed, and new troop deployments are expected.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, Putin again called for a “fairer global security balance,” criticizing NATO’s expansion.
His visit to Beijing — and joint appearance with Xi and Kim — signals deeper coordination among authoritarian regimes and may shed light on Moscow’s evolving global strategy, Reuters noted.
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