A nationalist media outlet in China has lambasted Australia as a "country with an inglorious history" that doesn't rate being called a "paper tiger" following Canberra's decision to support an international tribunal that ruled against Beijing's territorial claims.

"Australia is not even a 'paper tiger,' it's only a 'paper cat' at best," the Global Times said in an opinion piece published on Saturday.

"At a time when its former caretaker country the UK is dedicated to developing relations with China…Australia has unexpectedly made itself a pioneer of hurting China's interest with a fiercer attitude than countries directly involved in the South China Sea dispute."

"But this paper cat won't last."