Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao paid a visit Wednesday to Peking University, one of the most prestigious universities in China, celebrating the Chinese Youth Day with the students.

The premier arrived on the campus at about 10:00 AM Wednesday. He visited the university's library and dormitory areas and received the warmest welcome from all the students and staff members.

During his talks with the students, Wen listened carefully to their questions and difficulties and made sincere and humorous replies, which aroused applauds one time after another.

In his talks, the premier asked the students to be conscientious and persevering in their studies so as to make contributions to the building of the country after graduation.

"I feel exciting to have a face-to-face talk with the premier. His concerns and expectations toward us make me feel warm as well as the sense of responsibilities," said a student named Zhang Qiulei.

 
On the same day, millions of young people also celebrated their own festival around China.

In Beijing, tens of thousands of 18-year-old middle school students went to Tian'anmen Square, attending a ceremony declaring that they have become adults.

The students made their pledges before the Monument to the People's Heroes that they will become citizens with "thoughts, morals, knowledge and disciplines, who will properly use their rights and practice their duties and will devote themselves to the wealth, democracy and cultural progress of the Chinese nation."

After the ceremony, the students took part in various games, turning the square into a sea of happiness.

Though the weather was bad in Shanghai, many youngsters went onto the streets celebrating their own festival.

A long queue, mainly composed of young people, appeared seen early Wednesday outside the site of the first plenary session of the Communist Party of China (CPC), located in the downtown.

Yang Luhua, a freshman of Shanghai Engineering Technology University, said she would spent the festival visiting the birthplace of the CPC, trying to "feel the passion" of the time of the Party's founding. 

A large number of young people chose to spend the day by doing voluntary work.

The historically high number of visitors to Shanghai during the May Day holiday, in addition to the 48th World Table Tennis Championship, brought great traffic pressures to the city.

Many students became volunteers, helping to maintain traffic order and soothe the pressure in crowded places.

People saw a lot of "red caps" volunteers ready at people's service at subway, bus and railway stations.

In north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, university students were organized by the Youth League Committee to provide services to community residents.

The autonomous region government launched a youth employment project in its rural areas, helping young people jobs.

In nearby Hebei Province, many youngsters took part in a "hometown culture search" activity.

The students tried to find cultural relics, folk arts and other cultural resources in their hometown by interviewing, visiting, reading and Internet surfing.

Gao Hongzhi, secretary of the provincial Youth League Committee, the sponsor of the activity, said, "The young people have received a patriotism education during the whole process."

The May 4 Movement in 1919, was a great anti-imperialist, anti-feudal revolutionary movement, which marked the beginning of the new-democratic revolution in China.

May 4 was officially proclaimed the Chinese Youth Day by the Government Administration Council (the predecessor of the State Council) in December 1949.

(Xinhua News Agency May 5, 2005)