When I Googled my name in Chinese, I got 368,000 hits, most of them referring to me as a 'traitor who sold out on our country' or a 'double-crosser'," Wang Qiangyuan, a Chinese student at Duke University, a prestigious US university in Durham, NC, told The Yomiuri Shimbun over the telephone in early July.

When the torch relay for the Beijing Olympics was held in San Francisco on April 9, pro-Tibet American students and pro-Beijing Chinese students squared off on the university's campus.

Wang attempted to prod the two groups into having dialogue by cutting in front of them and shouting out, "Let's talk!"

While the freshman was by no means a supporter of the pro-independence movement for Tibet, she wanted both sides to act calmly and discuss their differences.

However, other Chinese on the campus did not take her side. Many of them surrounded her, and she was asked, "Are you really Chinese?"

The incident triggered personal attacks on her on the Internet. Her personal information, including the name of her hometown in China and her parents' names, were disclosed on the Net.

A threatening message, "Kill 'em all", was then found daubed on the door of her parents' home in Shangdong Province, after which her parents were forced to go into hiding.

Starting in the 19th century, China saw powerful foreign nations controlling parts of its territories or winning concessions on its soil. This is why many Chinese still have the mentality of a people who were victimised in the past and are sensitive about any moves that question the nation's dignity. Once ignited, their sentiments can erupt into radical Chinese nationalism.

As seen in Wang's case, the Internet has recently played a key role in Chinese nationalism. The number of Internet users in China exceeded 220 million this year, the largest figure in the world for a single nation.

Over the Internet, young Chinese called Fenqing search for "enemies" and "traitors" and launch attacks on them. Fenqing literally means angry young people.

Their strategy is very simple, they send e-mail messages about anti-Chinese incidents and people to their friends and acquaintances.

"The friends and acquaintances then relay the messages to their own friends even without being asked to do so. In this way the number of people receiving the messages snowballs," a Beijing-based Chinese Internet activist in his 30s said.

Fenqing activities have produced tangible results in this Olympic year.

Angry that the torch relay was disrupted in Paris, they urged fellow countrymen to boycott a French supermarket chain. Many Chinese people instantly joined the movement.

A CNN newscaster and US actress who criticised China were forced to apologise for their remarks partly as a result of coming under fire on the Internet.

The Chinese Communist Party also is well aware of the enormous influence Internet users can wield.

A source close to the party said, "The Internet-based nationalistic movement attacking domestic and foreign parties critical of China benefits the party--as long as the movement is kept within permissible limits."

The Communist Party, however, is not prepared to tolerate violence or clashes resulting from radical nationalism connected to the Beijing Olympic Games. At major universities in Beijing, where many Fenqing are believed to be active, instructors have urged students to express their patriotism in a rational way.

The Olympic Games will inevitably fan patriotic sentiments as nations compete against one another.

Attention is now placed on how Fenqing will behave.

Will Japanese spectators be able to wave the Hinomaru flag at Olympic venues?

Asked about the question, the Internet activist grinned and said: "Fenqing are now targeting traitors, North Americans and Europeans. But I'm not sure what will happen once the Olympics start. I believe (the Japanese) should be careful when Japan and China compete against each other. Compared anti-American and anti-French feelings, to ignite Chinese people's anti-Japan sentiments, only a tenth of the provocation is needed."