A strongly worded editorial - "Discard illusion of friendly ties with Japan" - in Global Times said that Sino-Japanese relations suffered a serious blow on Tuesday when the Japanese government signed a deal to purchase the Diaoyu Islands with the self-proclaimed "owner".
"The friendly ties between the two countries established in the 1970s collapsed completely," it said.
The daily added: "Chinese anger of over a century toward Japan was awakened Tuesday, and will in turn affect Japanese feelings toward China. It appears inevitable the two sides will be overwhelmed by hatred again now that more conflicts can be expected. China needs to be prepared for further deterioration of bilateral ties. For Beijing, the future priority isn't to maintain stable ties, but to protect its core interests as Sino-Japanese relations sour."
The editorial said that though China was committed to building friendly ties with neighbours, the Diaoyu issue has turned China and Japan into opponents.
"China isn't used to having an adversary close by.
"...Japan inflicted painful atrocities against China in the past. It is now more developed than China, but is in decline. The balance of national power is shifting between the two. With such a close opponent, China can be spurred to action," it said.
The daily noted that Japan depends on the Chinese market more than China does on the Japanese market......
"But its behaviour toward the US and Russia demonstrates its inferiority toward strong countries. China cannot repeat what the US and Russia did to Japan. But a lesson is necessary to dispel its contempt toward China..."....
"Keeping friendly neighbouring ties is a good policy. But it cannot be achieved through one-sided begging and compromising."
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