South Korean President Yoon's brief martial law declaration and swift retraction dominated Chinese media coverage, with state outlets carefully maintaining neutrality while reporting the unfolding political crisis. Presidential staff resignations and impeachment calls from 190 lawmakers followed.
State media simultaneously launched a coordinated campaign about constitutional reverence, possibly drawing implicit parallels. Belt and Road coverage continued from previous days through Xi's meetings with Hun Sen, though with reduced intensity compared to earlier coverage.
By afternoon, attention shifted to maritime tensions as China Coast Guard reported confrontations with Philippine vessels near Huangyan Dao. The development of EU-China trade frictions emerged through coverage of battery manufacturers reducing European expansion plans, while Yi Gang's comments suggested non-retaliation as optimal response to US trade barriers.