Srinagar, Sept 02: North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, has made a rare international journey -- this time to China -- boarding his signature bulletproof train to attend a military parade in Beijing. The visit, his first to China since January 2019, was confirmed by North Korea's state media, marking his return to Beijing for a multilateral event after years of isolation.

As per reports, the train is known to include meeting rooms, private quarters, and even amenities like gold-embossed laptops and luxury furnishings.

According to reports, Kim's appearance alongside Putin and Xi is set to highlight the strengthening ties among the three leaders and signal a shared willingness on their part to coordinate more openly in challenging US-led international norms. For Kim, the trip elevates North Korea's diplomatic standing, putting him next to some of the world's most powerful leaders.

The lavish, bulletproof train used by Kim Jong Un for his recent trip to China is part of a long-standing tradition among North Korea's ruling family. Both his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung, favored the train for international travel, viewing it as a secure and opulent mode of transport.

In 2023, he traveled to Russia by rail for a summit with President Vladimir Putin. Earlier, in 2019, he famously endured a 60-hour train ride to Vietnam for a meeting with then-U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi. Notably, during his first summit with Trump in 2018, Kim departed from tradition and flew to Singapore aboard a Boeing 747 provided by China.

Kim and Xi haven't met in person since June 2019, when the Chinese leader visited Pyongyang and called for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.