State media maintained coordinated coverage of Xi's northeastern development initiatives, building on his recent Harbin visits and Asian Winter Games participation. The morning saw Beijing implementing retaliatory tariffs against the US, while announcing visa-free entry for ASEAN tour groups to Xishuangbanna.
DeepSeek's emergence dominated financial coverage, with state media positioning it as a challenge to US AI dominance, while continuing rescue operations for the Sichuan landslide victims. The afternoon brought Xi's condolences over Namibian founding president Nujoma's passing, amid coverage of Wang Yi's planned UK visit.
Evening reports focused on brain drain prevention strategies and AI governance, as China prepared for the Paris AI Summit. Hong Kong coverage centered on protest-related arrests and mainland runner disqualifications at the Hong Kong Marathon, indicating continued social tensions.