On September 3, Beijing will host a parade featuring prominent leaders from authoritarian regimes. Among them are Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Iran's president, Myanmar's leader, and Alexander Lukashenko from Belarus. This event marks Kim Jong Un's first visit to China in many years and provides an opportunity for talks with Putin, to whom North Korea offers support in the war against Ukraine.
Western leaders will be largely absent from the parade, except for Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Slovakia is known for its anti-European and anti-Ukrainian statements, while Serbia, aspiring to join the EU, refuses to impose sanctions on Russia.
China thereby demonstrates support for Russia in its war against Ukraine and forms an alternative political and economic bloc that disregards Western sanctions. Despite US and EU efforts to restrict the resources of aggressor states, countries like Iran, North Korea, and Russia continue their cooperation and arms exchange under China’s political umbrella. China and India continue to buy Russian oil, providing Moscow with financial support.
Analysts note that China's actions are driven by both economic and political motives, aimed at strengthening its influence and weakening the West. Even changes in Western policy do not break the ties between Russia, China, and their allies. The unity of authoritarian regimes will be showcased in the Beijing parade, demonstrating the existence of two worlds with different values and approaches to international law.
The deepening of the strategic partnership between China and Russia and the active participation of other authoritarian countries, against the background of the absence of most Western leaders, highlights widening global political divisions. The parade in Beijing becomes a significant event, confirming China’s willingness to support Russia’s aggressive policies on the world stage.
