US First Lady Michelle Peking University Speech

The first lady of the United States, Michelle, gave a speech at Peking University this morning. The following is the full text of the speech:

I came here today because I know that our future depends on the connections between young people like you all over the world.

This is also why our couples visit the palace and meet with the head of state when they visit abroad. We also came to the school to meet with students like you.

Because we believe that the relationship between countries is not just a relationship between governments or leaders, they are relations between people, especially young people.

Therefore, we believe that overseas study programs are not only educational opportunities for students, but also a vital part of US foreign policy.

"It is better to read thousands of books than to read thousands of books."

You see, through the modern technological miracle, our world is more connected than ever.

Ideas can cross the ocean by clicking a button. Companies around the world can do business and compete with each other. We can communicate with people on all continents via SMS, email and Skype.

Therefore, studying abroad is not just a happy way to spend a semester – it is quickly becoming the key to success in a globalized economy.

Because it is necessary to walk in the forefront of today's workplace, it is not enough to achieve good results in school. It should also have a real experience outside the country: a completely different language, culture and social experience.

As the old saying in China says: Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles.

What I want to say is that studying abroad is not only about improving your own future, it is also about shaping your country and the future of the world we share.

Because of the decisive challenges of our time, whether it is climate change, economic opportunities, or the proliferation of nuclear weapons, these are our common challenges.

No country can deal with them alone... The only way out is to work together.

"Working together"

This is why it is so important for young people to study and live in each other's countries. Because this is the way you develop your cooperative habits. You do this by integrating into different cultures, by understanding each other's stories, by crossing our stereotypes and misunderstandings that often separate us.

This is how you know how much we share. This is how you recognize that our success benefits each other. The method of order found in Beijing can save lives in the United States. Clean energy technology from California's Silicon Valley can improve China's environment. The architecture of an ancient temple in Xi'an can inspire the inspiration of Dallas or Detroit's new architectural design.

This is the time when your relationship with your classmates and experimental partners can bring more benefits. When Abigail Coplin became a Fulbright scholar at Peking University, she and her colleagues published papers in a leading scientific journal to establish a research partnership. This relationship lasted for a long time after they returned to China. .

Professor Niu Ke from Peking University was a Fulbright scholar from the United States last year. I quoted him as saying, "The most memorable experience is with my American friends."

These long-lasting ties represent the true value of studying abroad. I am very excited and more and more students are getting such opportunities.

Michelle came out to talk about studying abroad

China is currently the fifth most popular destination for Americans studying abroad. Today, the United States has the largest number of exchange students from China.

Despite this, too many students have never had such an opportunity, and some students who have the opportunity are hesitant to seize it.

They may feel that studying abroad is only for students with money or students from certain types of universities. Or, they may think, "Well, this sounds interesting, but how useful is it in my life?"

I understand these young people because I feel the same when I go to college. You know, I am from a working-class family, and I have never even thought about studying abroad. My parents have not been to college, and I concentrate on getting into college and earning a degree so I can get a job and support myself.

For many young people who struggle to get a regular semester like me, it is impossible to pay for airfare or living expenses on the other side of the world. This is unacceptable because studying abroad should not only belong to students with some background.

We want to build connections between people of all races and socio-economic backgrounds, because it is this diversity that makes our country so vibrant and powerful... Our overseas study projects should reflect the true spirit of the United States to the world.

That's why when my husband visited China in 2019, we announced our 100,000 initiative, which aims to increase the number and diversity of American students studying in China. This year, as we commemorate the 35th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-US relations... The US government actually supports more American students studying in China.

We are sending high school students, college students and graduate students here to study Chinese. We are inviting Chinese teachers to teach Mandarin in American universities. We offer free online consultation for Chinese students who wish to study in the United States. The US-China Fulbright project is still intensifying and has more than 3,000 alumni.

The private sector is also stepping up its work. For example, Steve Schwarzman, the head of Blackstone in the United States, is funding a new project at Tsinghua University that mimics the Rhodes Awards.

"You don't need to board the plane to become a citizen diplomat."

Today, students from different backgrounds are studying in China. For example, from Royal, Cleveland, Ohio, she participated in the New York University project in Shanghai. Like me, Royal is the first generation of college students at home. Her mother does two full-time jobs while her father works at night to maintain their family. Speaking of her experience in Shanghai, she said: "The city is full of resilience, it motivates me to do all the things I can do."

There is also the Philippine Haier from the University of Washington. When he was a child, his family came to the United States as an Eritrean refugee. When talking about his experience in studying in China, he said: "As we enter a new era of citizen diplomacy, studying abroad is a powerful tool for people-to-people exchanges."

"A new era of citizen diplomacy" I can't think of a better statement than this, because this is exactly what I am talking about, that is, ordinary citizens go to the world.

As I often say to young Americans, you don't need to board an airplane to become a citizen diplomat.

I told them that if you can get online at home, at school or in a library, in just a few seconds, you can be taken anywhere in the world to meet people from every continent.

That's why I send a travel blog every day with videos and photos of my trip to China – because I hope that young people in the United States can be part of this visit.

This is indeed the power of technology – it opens up the world and exposes us to ideas and innovations that were previously unimaginable. This is why it is so important that information and ideas flow freely through the Internet and through the media.

Because that is the way we discover the truth, that allows us to understand what is happening to our community, our country, and our world.

That is why we decide which values ​​and ideas are the best – by questioning them vigorously, debating, listening to the parties, and making their own judgments.

Believe me, I know this is a confusing and frustrating process. There are a lot of questions and criticism from our media and citizens, and my husband and I are at the receiving end. This is not an easy task, but we believe that its importance is irreplaceable.

Because we see again and again, when the voices and opinions of all citizens can be heard, the country will become stronger and more prosperous.

As my husband once said, we respect the uniqueness of other cultures and societies. However, in terms of free expression of the self, choice of what you admire, and access to information – we believe that it is the birthright of everyone on earth.

"American face", "Chinese face"

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to realize their full potential, as I can do in the United States. At the same time, when you are here in China and in the United States to learn about new cultures and make new friends, your whole person is the fresh representative of those values.

Therefore, I promise that by studying abroad, you will not only change your life, but also change the life of everyone you meet.

Just as the great US President John Gandydi said when talking about foreign students studying in the United States, "I think they teach more than they have learned." It is the same for Americans who study abroad. of.

For the world, all of you are the best American faces, and the best Chinese faces. Every day, you are showing the world your energy, creativity, optimism, and unwavering faith in the future. Every day, you are reminding us that by transcending national borders, we learn to see ourselves in each other and to share our common challenges with our common resolve.

Therefore, I hope that you will continue to seek such an experience. I hope that you will continue to benefit from each other, learn from each other, and build bonds of friendship that will enrich your life and enrich our world for decades to come.

There are so many of you who can give the world, and I look forward to your future achievements.