While studying and living in Germany, I've frequently heard young Chinese being described as "indifferent to politics." The tag seems true to some degree. While German students unite around over problems like expensive tuition fees or the demolition of an old train station, adopt various channels to express their opinions, and stick with causes for months, Chinese students seem detached and tolerant.

But that's not the real scenario. Many Chinese students studying abroad, such as myself, are zealot users of Chinese grass-roots websites like Weibo and Tianya. Just like native German students care about their own politics, we find what's going on back in China much more interesting. In China, the young are showing greater enthusiasm for politics than they used to have for a long time.

A couple of months ago, I met a Chinese friend who was studying in Japan. We had dinner together. "The Japanese politics are toneless," he said, "they have mass-produced reports on TV and in newspapers. They don't have such interesting things as Red Cross scandalmaker Guo Meimei and the salt panic."

His words echoed my thoughts. As China is witnessing rapid social changes, all kinds of fresh debates are going on across this nation. Young people, both in China and those studying abroad, prying into these ongoing changes through the powerful Internet, are drawn into the debate.

Compared with their peers from developed countries, young Chinese actually have more motivation to care about politics.

Take the government's role. After more than three decades of reform and opening-up, politics have largely retreated from the market and individual lives, but the shadow of government is still ubiquitous.

The stock market, real estate property, as well as price of water and electricity are all related to government policies and State-owned enterprises. Even problems over taking a breath of clean air and having a taste of safe milk are closely related to the competence of officials.

These problems also exist in Western countries. But in China, such problems apparently have more influence in everyone's life. As a result, to change these problems in China calls for more courage and political wisdom from the authorities.

The Germans often complain about the lack of differences between the policies proposed by different parties. Many thus keep their distance from politics. In comparison, the Chinese leaders' decisions about the direction of reform will decide the fate of over 1.3 billion Chinese. And the public is watching closely both small and large issues throughout the nation.

Each year in Germany, a few corruption and sex scandals are exposed. But in China, corruption cases usually involve much larger amount of money and much higher costs. For instance, corruption in construction projects can cost hundreds of lives, and unsafe food even kills babies. All these make the Chinese more sensitive to officials' failures.

China's cultural traditions also influence young Chinese to care more about politics. With deeply-rooted collectivist values, young Chinese feel an obligation to participate, even though they haven't learned about modern political and civil ethics.

Confucian attitudes of actively participating in worldly affairs still has its influence on youngsters. "I hear the sounds of the wind, the rain and the reading, and I care about the things of my home, my country and the world." "Be the first to bear hardships and the last to enjoy comforts."

These views, which children learn from textbooks from very early on, prompt them to show enthusiasm for political and social affairs.

Being described as "indifferent to politics" is unfair to young Chinese. They show much more enthusiasm than foreigners imagine.

The author is a PhD candidate of philosophy at Tübingen University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn