The day of Xi's talks with Kim Jong Un

The day began with Chinese state media continuing its focus on President Xi Jinping's post-V-Day diplomatic activities, detailing his meetings with leaders from Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Cuba, and Zimbabwe. These engagements were consistently framed as deepening global partnerships and asserting China's international influence, building on the previous day's parade narrative. External reports provided broader context, analyzing the parade's messaging to the US and public perceptions of US rivalry. A major editorial shift occurred late morning with prominent coverage of Xi's talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Beijing. This meeting quickly became the central narrative, underscoring efforts to strengthen strategic regional ties. Concurrently, state media also reported on Xi's other diplomatic engagements, including with Serbia, while the military's routine patrols in the South China Sea also featured in some reports.