Experts see fissures despite Xi, Putin and Kim’s show of unity

Experts see fissures despite Xi, Putin and Kim’s show of unity

When Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un all appeared together on a Beijing red carpet on Wednesday, it made for a powerful visual of unity against the West — but one that analysts say fell short of proving what Xi boasted was China’s “unstoppable” rise as a global leader.

Although all three nations were sending a pointed rhetorical message, multiple analysts told CNN that they saw nothing to resolve a longstanding debate in the US intelligence community about whether the three should be considered a “bloc” acting in concert or merely three opponents of the West who work together when it suits them.

There were also no outward signs of a substantive change in defense cooperation between any of the three, something that has been closely watched by US security officials particularly after North Korea began offering its soldiers to fight on Russia’s behalf in Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

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https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/03/politics/experts-xi-putin-kim-meeting