The world leaders attending North Korea’s 80th anniversary of ruling party

North Korea is today commemorating the 80th anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party, an event poised to highlight the nation's strengthening relationships with key international players, particularly China and Russia.

High-level representatives from both countries are expected to participate in the celebrations, underscoring Pyongyang's strategic efforts to solidify these vital alliances.

Leader Kim Jong Un has consistently viewed China as his most important ally, while recent years have witnessed a notable expansion of ties with Russia.

North Korea has reportedly assisted Moscow by deploying troops to participate in its war against Ukraine, further cementing their partnership. This follows a significant public display in September, when Mr Kim was seen alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Beijing for a substantial military parade marking the conclusion of the Second World War.

Nuclear-armed North Korea has not yet confirmed whether a military parade will take place to mark this week's holiday. South Korean officials said there were signs that Pyongyang will stage a military parade to commemorate the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, the Yonhap news agency reported last week.

Here's a view of some of the leaders and high-level representatives that are expected to attend:

Premier Li Qiang arrived Thursday in Pyongyan, North Korea's capital, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

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Li, who was met by an honour guard at Pyongyang's airport, said that China and North Korea "as socialist neighbours connected by mountains and rivers had a profound traditional friendship," China's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Li's presence is the highest-level visit by a Chinese leader since 2019. He is one of seven members of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party's Politburo, the apex of power in China.

As premier, he is generally considered the No. 2 leader in China after President Xi Jinping. Li has been representing China on more foreign trips and high-level events recently, including the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Russia is sending Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president who serves as deputy head of the Security Council chaired by Putin, to this week's anniversary celebrations, North Korea's official KCNA news agency said Monday.

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Medvedev is visiting with a delegation that includes Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov and the governor of the Kursk region, Russia's TASS news agency reported.

North Korea has been expanding cooperation with Russia, another neighbour to China. It has supplied combat troops and ammunitions to support Russia's war against Ukraine.

Vietnam's top leader Lam and his delegation attended a welcome ceremony at a Pyongyang sports centre, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

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It is the first visit by a Vietnamese Communist Party leader to North Korea in nearly 20 years and cooperation agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, according to people familiar with the planning.

As general secretary of the Communist Party in Vietnam, he holds the same leadership position held by Kim Jong Un in the North Korean Workers' Party.

Vietnam's state media has said that the visit happens as both countries also celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The president of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith, will also attend, KCNA said last week. He is general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

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Kim visited the Party Founding Museum in Pyongyang on Wednesday with senior party officials and delivered what state media called a "significant speech" honouring the party's founders and revolutionary forerunners, North Korean state media KCNA reported.

The North Korean leader paid tribute to his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung and anti-Japanese fighters for laying a "solid cornerstone" for the party's enduring strength and success, the report said.

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Reflecting on eight decades of party history, Kim said it was a time for the current generation to renew its understanding of its "revolutionary obligations and duties" to complete the socialist cause begun by its predecessors.

Kim also pledged to preserve the party's ideological purity and vitality "without decrepitude and discolouration," calling the Party Founding Museum a "sacred sanctuary" representing the party's tradition.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.