BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Saturday marks the centenary of the May Fourth Movement in China.
The May Fourth Movement started with mass student protests on May 4, 1919, against the government's weak response to the Treaty of Versailles that imposed unfair treatment on China and undermined the country's sovereignty after World War I.
It then triggered a national campaign to overthrow the old society and promote new ideas, including science, democracy and Marxism.
Two years later, the Communist Party of China (CPC) was founded.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, May 4 was formally designated as China's Youth Day.
The May Fourth Movement is widely considered a great patriotic and revolutionary campaign pioneered by advanced young intellectuals and joined by people from all walks of life to resolutely fight imperialism and feudalism.
The movement has inspired the ambition and confidence of the Chinese people and nation to realize national rejuvenation.
Young people always play a vanguard role in realizing national rejuvenation.
The May Fourth spirit refers to patriotism, progress, democracy and science, with patriotism at the core.
In the new era, the theme and direction of the Chinese youth movement and the mission of Chinese young people are to uphold the leadership of the CPC and work with the people to realize the two centenary goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
