Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping convened a landmark summit in Beijing on Tuesday, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in what analysts describe as the first major display of the so-called “Axis of Upheaval.” The high-profile meeting showcased growing coordination among authoritarian states and underscored shifting global alignments at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump faces diplomatic isolation.
The summit, featuring bilateral and trilateral discussions, was carefully choreographed to highlight deepening partnerships across defense, energy, and geopolitics. Observers noted that the event marks the strongest public demonstration yet of solidarity between Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang.
One of the central outcomes was the signing of a long-term energy agreement between China’s National Petroleum Corporation and Russia’s Gazprom, paving the way for a new gas pipeline that will secure Chinese energy supplies for the next three decades. The deal further anchors Russia within China’s economic sphere as Moscow continues to face Western sanctions.
On the military front, analysts said the summit signaled a likely expansion of security cooperation. Following earlier defense pacts between Russia and North Korea, experts now anticipate joint military exercises involving all three nations. The prospect of a coordinated front in the Asia-Pacific is viewed as a potential challenge to existing Western-led security frameworks.
The summit also carried symbolic weight. A massive military parade, scheduled for September 3, will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Xi, Putin, and Kim, joined by Iran’s president, are expected to attend the display, which will feature advanced hypersonic missiles and drone technology. The event is being positioned by Beijing as a counternarrative to Western interpretations of global history and as a statement of rising multipolarity.
The gathering also provided an opening for Xi to reset ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited China for the first time in seven years. While both sides reaffirmed that India and China should be “partners, not rivals,” long-standing issues such as trade imbalances and water disputes remain unresolved.
The summit’s geopolitical implications are significant. With Beijing at the center, the emerging alliance strengthens authoritarian cooperation across Eurasia and challenges the dominance of Western institutions. Washington, meanwhile, has been largely sidelined. Despite Trump’s earlier claims of cultivating strong personal ties with Xi, Putin, and Kim, the Beijing summit underscored how far those relationships have drifted.
Diplomatic observers warn that this consolidation could accelerate a global realignment, particularly if joint military activities and coordinated energy strategies expand further. For Beijing, the event cements its role as a leading hub for states seeking to counterbalance U.S. and European influence on the world stage.