China blasted for taking ‘bullying approach’ towards Japan with military parade
The expert also suggested that Beijing would be aiming to get the message further afield than just Japan.
Reports that China will stage a major military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of second world war and, simultaneously, "frighten Japan", have been dismissed by some Japanese analysts as a bully's approach to diplomacy.
"China is obviously showing off its military power to try to intimidate Japan, but I do believe that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a stauncher statesman than that," Yoichi Shimada, a professor of international relations at Fukui Prefectural University, told the South China Morning Post.
"I feel confident that he will stand up to Beijing and work to build an even closer relationship with the United States," he added.
Messages posted on Japanese websites were more outspoken in their criticism of an article by Hu Zhanhao, a Chinese commentator on financial and global affairs, published in the official People's Daily newspaper.
Writing in the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu claimed that one reason for the parade was "to frighten Japan and to declare to the world China's determination to maintain the post-war world order".
He also warned that China's "enemy" must be "psychologically prepared for China's strong counterattack".
"As always, a thug and a bully. Pitiful," replied one poster on the JapanToday website.