Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday encouraged young Chinese students to dedicate their lives to the people and bind their own destinies with that of the nation.

Wen made the call at a symposium with some 100 students of the prestigious Tsinghua University, who have chosen to work in China's less-developed western regions or at the grassroots level after graduation.

Wen's Tsinghua tour marked his annual visit to university campuses since 2003 ahead of the Chinese Youth Day, which falls on Monday this year.

In more than one hour's time, Wen listened to the students' stories and gave his advices on their future development, encouraging them to "be resolute-minded, hard working and down-to-earth to achieve your goals."

Sui Shaochun, a mechanics students, said he had landed a job in an aeroplane manufacturing company in southwestern Sichuan Province and was ready to devote himself to the country's project of building its own big planes.

Wen said the future of a young person and that of the nation were interdependent, and "the young should bind their own destinies with that of the country."

Another graduate-to-be Cheng Li told Wen she would work in Wenchuan of Sichuan, the epicenter of last year's devastating May 12 earthquake, believing the reconstruction work would be "more meaningful than anything else."

Wen said the post-quake reconstruction requires a large number of professionals and he encouraged Cheng to play her role. "The love and devotion to the people is the most lofty part of human morals," said he.

Wen praised Zou Shenglan and Yan Weilong after learning they had volunteered to work in Tibetan villages.

He told them to be prepared for the hardship in rural areas. "I believe after being tempered at the grassroots level in Tibet, you'll become more mature," he said. "And when you look back at that part of experience in the future, you'll have no regret."

"I want you all to be well-educated people with moral integrity and work ability, and be of use to the people," Wen said before concluding the discussion, followed by having lunch with the students at their dinning hall.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2009)