'In the middle of this terrible disaster, we see the most precious treasure of Japan - the hard work, wisdom and indomitable spirit of its people. In their darkest hour, in their deepest trauma, we see this new source of energy. This has been the quality of Japanese people from ancient times.'
This tribute appeared in the latest issue of Southern People's Weekly, a news magazine produced by Guangzhou's Southern Media Group, one of the most famous news conglomerates in China. It was the headline paragraph of an excellent 26-page story on the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, with dramatic photographs and reports from the scene.
What is remarkable is the praise it showered on Japan and its people, in a country that usually reports them in a negative light and where City of Life and Death - about the 1937 Nanking massacre - was one of the most popular films in 2009.
'The people of Miyagi carried out their responsibilities to the best of their ability and left what they could not control to God and destiny,' Beijing-based Lifeweek magazine said in its 35-page report. 'In the face of this catastrophe, the people retained a spirit of forgiveness and reason, making others feel sympathy and the deepest respect ... They kept their most important quality - a sense of discipline. You can say that they lack creativity but they displayed a spirit of pragmatism.'
This respect and sympathy has translated into an unprecedented flood of support from China. The government sent a 15-member rescue team, the first such mission ever accepted by Japan from China, and many people rushed to donate money, including flamboyant tycoon Chen Guangbiao, who gave one million yuan (HK$1.2 million) in cash and emergency medicine.
Why are China's media reporting the disaster in such a sympathetic way? First, China feels gratitude for Japan's help after the Sichuan earthquake of May 2008. Second, it sees the Japanese as a model to follow if and when a similar disaster strikes China. Recently, the government issued rules to improve the behaviour and manners of its citizens; it is embarrassed by the bad impression many Chinese abroad give of their country.