Like nationalist movements that preceded it, university students have been at the fore of the recent protests against overseas news outlets and the disturbances during the Olympic torch relays in London, Paris and San Francisco. But what has surprised observers this time is the participation of a group of unlikely protesters: undergraduates born after the 1980s, collectively called the post-80s generation.
This generation is characterised as the 'me generation', a label underscoring a generally unfavourable perception of them. Thanks to the country's population-curbing one-child policy, these youngsters have become the Little Emperors and Princesses sitting atop a family pyramid of two doting parents and four eager-to-please grandparents. This generation is, thus, said to be spoiled, yet lonely and cynical at the same time.
Moreover, this generation is breast-fed on the economic milk of China's reform and opening-up policy that came into being at the end of the 1970s. Growing up in rapidly enriched families, the mindset of the post-80s offspring is far different from that of their parents. They are supposedly self-centered and materialistic, while lacking a co-operative spirit and social concerns.
Just as sociologists begin to worry about the future of China, in light of a seemingly corrupted and collapsing generation - which today totals some 200 million - the post-80s youngsters emerged to draw public attention.
In Britain, Chinese students protested outside the BBC, wearing 'I love China' T-shirts. Students on the mainland set up anti-CNN websites to rebuff the news coverage on the Tibetan riots from CNN, the BBC, Fox News and The Times, among others.
Students on the mainland also took part in street rallies that erupted in several mainland cities, although mainland universities have moved to curb demonstrations.
The recent rise of the post-80s youngsters seems to refute the conventional wisdom about them. They appeared to be both sensitive to social events and willing to take collective action. While the activism may be positive, the uproar of the post-80s youngsters also underscores acute frustrations and a disillusionment that could reshape their mindset.