HONG KONG — Next week, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un is set to make an unusual trip abroad, as he plans to participate in a military parade taking place in China’s capital, as reported by Chinese state media on Thursday.

The parade in Beijing on Sept. 3 is being held to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

According to Xinhua, China’s official news agency, leaders from 26 countries will be in attendance at the parade, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. Notably, leaders from the United States and its allied nations are expected to be absent, partly as a form of protest against Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

The list of other leaders attending, as provided by Xinhua, includes Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing from Myanmar’s military government.

Kim rarely leaves North Korea, which has been isolated by international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The exact timing of Kim’s departure to China or his length of stay has not been disclosed. Kim last visited China, a neighboring country and the largest trade partner of North Korea, before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Relations between China and North Korea have been somewhat tense in recent years, largely due to North Korea’s strengthening ties with Russia. North Korea has been sending artillery and troops to Russia in support of Moscow’s efforts in Ukraine. Analysts suggest Russia might be reciprocating by sharing advanced military technology that could bolster North Korea’s weaponry.

Kim’s previous journey abroad occurred in September 2023, when he held a meeting with Putin at a spaceport located in Russia’s Far East. Later, Putin visited Pyongyang, and in June 2024, both leaders signed a mutual defense agreement.