North Korean Leader Leaves For China Trip In His Armored Train
The train China Trip is kept slow for safety reasons
PYONGYANG: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has begun his journey to the Chinese capital Beijing in his famous armored train, where he will attend the grand Victory Day military parade on Wednesday.
The visit will not only be Kim Jong-un’s first multinational international summit, but also the first time a North Korean leader has attended a military parade in China since 1959.
According to the British news agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the heads of other world powers will welcome Kim Jong-un.
According to South Korean media, Kim’s armored train has more than 90 coaches, including conference rooms, audience chambers, bedrooms, and, most surprisingly, a restaurant serving fresh lobster and expensive French wine.
The train is being slowed for safety reasons, and the journey to Beijing is expected to take up to 24 hours.
The visit marks a new wave of warming relations between Kim Jong-un and China, especially at a time when the Western world is imposing sanctions on Russia and North Korea is facing global isolation.
Kim will be joined by leaders from 26 countries, including Myanmar, Iran, Cuba, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, in the parade.
Only the Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is attending from the European Union, while Hungary and Bulgaria are sending representatives.
The 70-minute parade, held in Beijing’s historic Tiananmen Square, will feature the first full display of China’s latest military power, including anti-drone systems, fighter jets, tanks, and new military structures.
The event is being held to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II and the end of the war.
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