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Sep. 1. Bashir is among the world leaders attending the Sep. 3 military review commemorating the seventieth anniversary of China’s war victory over Japan. (AP/Yonhap News)

A military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3 to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of China’s victory over Japan and fascism in the Second World War is shaping into a test of the future direction for North Korea and China’s cooling relations.

The representative sent by Pyongyang to the parade is Choe Ryong-hae, secretary of the Workers’ Party, rather than leader Kim Jong-un. Choe previously visited China and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping as Kim’s special envoy in May 2013.

Another factor in his selection may be the fact that Choe’s father was Choe Hyon, who fought alongside Kim’s grandfather Kim Il-sung as a member of the Chinese Communist Party-affiliated Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army in the 1930s. The choice may be interpreted as an attempt to play up North Korea and China’s past relationship as confederates in the war against Japan.

“The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army is also taking part in the review,” noted a Chinese expert on Korean Peninsula affairs.

part of a security intensification two days before a military parade. (by Seong Yeon-cheol

“As it happens, Choe is essentially reviewing the same unit that his father was a part of, while President Park Geun-hye will be inspecting the unit that Kim Il-sung belonged to,” the expert added.

China also categorized Choe in a group of 30 head of state-level foreign guests, despite him not being a head of state himself. No senior-level exchanges have taken place between China and North Korea since North Korea visits in Feb. and Mar. 2014 by Chinese vice minister of foreign affairs Liu Zhenmin and special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs Wu Dawei, respectively.

Experts said that while Choe’s visit may help in resuming official interactions between Pyongyang and Beijing, it is unlikely to bring about any historic changes.

“In terms of job title, Choe Ryong-hae ranks below the nominal head of state, Supreme People’s Assembly presidium president Kim Yong-nam, but he‘s also a close associate of Kim Jong-un who has served as a special envoy in the past,” noted Peking University professor Jin Jingyi.

“This may be a sign of North Korea’s commitment to trying to improve relations with China,” Jin said.

Renmin University of China professor Shi Yinhong agreed that Choe‘s visit “shows North Korea is trying somewhat to reduce the chill with China.”

“But trust in North Korea-China relations is at an all-time-low right now, and there’s no sign of a change in attitudes on the nuclear issue,” Shi added. “This military parade visit won’t be enough to improve relations.”

Another foreign affairs source said Choe was “unlikely” to meet separately with President Xi Jinping during his visit.

Armored special police vans drive in front of Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Sep. 1

By Seong Yeon-cheol, Beijing correspondent

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