Mainland media's protest coverage looks inward

On Tuesday morning, CCTV's 9am newscast began with footage of the streets of Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning.

Traffic in the city - formerly known by its Manchu name, Mukden - ground to a halt at 9.18am as air raid sirens and car horns wailed in remembrance of the 1931 Mukden Incident, which marked the start of Japan's invasion of northern China. Work stopped and people bowed their heads to observe three minutes of silence. The newscast then switched back to the studio, with the anchor announcing that "National Humiliation Day" had started in a "solemn and silent" mood.

Before Tuesday, protests against Japan's claim to the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea had already swept across much of China. Demonstrators attacked Japanese department stores and car dealerships.

Authorities grew concerned the demonstrations could boil over, raising the risk of emboldened protesters turning on the government. CCTV sought to turn down the heat by encouraging mainlanders to "hold the bottom line" in "patriotic" demonstrations.

Bai Yansong, a popular commentator, said the violence on China's streets was upsetting. "This isn't the right way to show your love for this country," he said. "We need to love the country rationally."

It was a sentiment echoed by most of the mainland media, with The Beijing News saying "patriotism should be separated from irrational behaviour".