North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in Beijing next week, China's foreign ministry has said - in what is believed to be his first international level meeting of leaders.
The so-called Victory Day parade will mark the 80th anniversary of China's war against Japan and the end of World War Two.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin will also be among the 26 heads of state expected to attend the event. This comes days after US leader Donald Trump stated he wants to meet Kim.
China is expected to display its latest weaponry including hundreds of aircraft, tanks and anti-drone systems - the first time its military's new force structure is being fully showcased in a parade.
The highly choreographed parade will see tens of thousands of military personnel marching in formation through Tiananmen Square, including troops from 45 of China's military echelons and war veterans.
The 70-minute parade, which will be overseen by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, is expected to be closely watched by analysts and western powers.
In a recent press conference, China's foreign ministry praised North Korea, highlighting their decades-long traditional friendship, assuring that both nations would continue collaborating for regional peace and stability.
Kim's involvement represents a significant upgrade from the last Victory Day parade in 2015, which saw only a top official from Pyongyang in attendance.
Attending the parade alongside Xi and Putin provides Kim with a prominent international presence and may signal to the world that China holds considerable leverage, particularly in their relationships with the US and Russia.
Given the context, the optics of this meeting are key, especially as both China and North Korea navigate complex diplomatic waters.
