Ni-hao.
(Laughter.)
It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here
with all of you at this great university,
so thank you so much for having me.
Now, before I get started today, on behalf
of myself and my husband, I just want to say
a few very brief words about Malaysia Airlines
Flight 370.
As my husband has said, the United States
is offering as many resources as possible
to assist in the search.
And please know that we are keeping all of
the families and loved ones of those on this
flight in our thoughts and prayers at this
very difficult time.
Now with that, I want to start by recognizing
our new Ambassador to China, Ambassador Baucus;
President Wang; Chairman Zhu; Vice President
Li; Director Cueller; Professor Oi, and the
Stanford Center; President Sexton from New
York University, which is an excellent study
abroad program in Shanghai; and John Thornton,
Director of the Global Leadership Program
at Tsinghua University.
Thank you all for joining us.
But most of all, I want to thank all of the
students who are here today.
And I particularly want to thank Eric Schaefer
and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English
and Chinese introduction.
That was a powerful symbol of everything that
I want to talk with you about today.
See, by learning each other's languages, and
by showing such curiosity and respect for
each other's cultures, Mr. Schafer and Ms.
Zhu and all of you are building bridges of
understanding that will lead to so much more.
And I'm here today because I know that our
future depends on connections like these among
young people like you across the globe.
That's why when my husband and I travel abroad,
we don't just visit palaces and parliaments
and meet with heads of state.
We also come to schools like this one to meet
with students like you, because we believe
that relationships between nations aren't
just about relationships between governments
or leaders -- they're about relationships
between people, particularly young people.
So we view study abroad programs not just
as an educational opportunity for students,
but also as a vital part of America's foreign
policy.
Through the wonders of modern technology,
our world is more connected than ever before.
Ideas can cross oceans with the click of a
button.
Companies can do business and compete with
companies across the globe.
And we can text, email, Skype with people
on every continent.
So studying abroad isn't just a fun way to
spend a semester; it is quickly becoming the
key to success in our global economy.
Because getting ahead in today's workplaces
isn't just about getting good grades or test
scores in school, which are important.
It's also about having real experience with
the world beyond your borders --- experience
with languages, cultures and societies very
different from your own.
Or, as the Chinese saying goes: "It is better
to travel ten thousand miles than to read
ten thousand books."
But let's be clear, studying abroad is about
so much more than improving your own future.
It's also about shaping the future of your
countries and of the world we all share.
Because when it comes to the defining challenges
of our time --- whether it's climate change
or economic opportunity or the spread of nuclear
weapons -- these are shared challenges.
And no one country can confront them alone.
The only way forward is together.
That's why it is so important for young people
like you to live and study in each other's
countries, because that's how you develop
that habit of cooperation.
You do it by immersing yourself in one another's
culture, by learning each other's stories,
by getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions
that too often divide us.
That's how you come to understand how much
we all share.
That's how you realize that we all have a
stake in each other's success -- that cures
discovered here in Beijing could save lives
in America, that clean energy technologies
from Silicon Valley in California could improve
the environment here in China, that the architecture
of an ancient temple in Xi'an could inspire
the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit.
And that's when the connections you make as
classmates or labmates can blossom into something
more.
That's what happened when Abigail Coplin became
an American Fulbright Scholar here at Peking
University.
She and her colleagues published papers together
in top science journals, and they built research
partnerships that lasted long after they returned
to their home countries.
And Professor Niu Ke from Peking University
was a Fulbright Scholarship -- Scholar in
the U.S. last year, and he reported -- and
this is a quote from him -- he said, "The
most memorable experiences were with my American
friends."
These lasting bonds represent the true value
of studying abroad.
And I am thrilled that more and more students
are getting this opportunity.
As you've heard, China is currently the fifth
most popular destination for Americans studying
abroad, and today, the highest number of exchange
students in the U.S. are from China.
But still, too many students never have this
chance, and some that do are hesitant to take
it.
They may feel like studying abroad is only
for wealthy students or students from certain
kinds of universities.
Or they may think to themselves, well, that
sounds fun but how will it be useful in my
life?
And believe me, I understand where these young
people are coming from because I felt the
same way back when I was in college.
See, I came from a working-class family, and
it never occurred to me to study abroad -- never.
My parents didn't get a chance to attend college,
so I was focused on getting into a university,
earning my degree so that I could get a good
job to support myself and help my family.
And I know for a lot of young people like
me who are struggling to afford a regular
semester of school, paying for plane tickets
or living expenses halfway around the world
just isn't possible.
And that's not acceptable, because study abroad
shouldn't just be for students from certain
backgrounds.
Our hope is to build connections between people
of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds,
because it is that diversity that truly will
change the face of our relationships.
So we believe that diversity makes our country
vibrant and strong.
And our study abroad programs should reflect
the true spirit of America to the world.
And that's why when my husband visited China
back in 2009, he announced the 100,000 Strong
initiative to increase the number and diversity
of American students studying in China.
And this year, as we mark the 35th anniversary
of the normalization of relationships between
our two countries, the U.S. government actually
supports more American students in China than
in any other country in the world.
We are sending high school, college and graduate
students here to study Chinese.
We're inviting teachers from China to teach
Mandarin in American schools.
We're providing free online advising for students
in China who want to study in the U.S.
And the U.S.-China Fulbright program is still
going strong with more than 3,000 alumni.
And the private sector is stepping up as well.
For example, Steve Schwarzman, who is the
head of an American company called Blackstone,
is funding a new program at Tsinghua University
modeled on the Rhodes Scholarship.
And today, students from all kinds of backgrounds
are studying here in China.
Take the example of Royale Nicholson, who's
from Cleveland, Ohio.
She attends New York University's program
in Shanghai.
Now, like me, Royale is a first-generation
college student.
And her mother worked two full-time jobs while
her father worked nights to support their
family.
And of her experience in Shanghai, Royale
said -- and this is her quote -- she said,
"This city oozes persistence and inspires
me to accomplish all that I can."
And happy birthday, Royale.
It was her birthday yesterday.
(Laughter.)
And then there's Philmon Haile from the University
of Washington, whose family came to the U.S.
as refugees from Eritrea when he was a child.
And of his experience studying in China, he
said, "Study abroad is a powerful vehicle
for people-to-people exchange as we move into
a new era of citizen diplomacy."
"A new era of citizen diplomacy."
I could not have said it better myself, because
that's really what I'm talking about.
I am talking about ordinary citizens reaching
out to the world.
And as I always tell young people back in
America, you don't need to get on a plane
to be a citizen diplomat.
I tell them that if you have an Internet connection
in your home, school, or library, within seconds
you can be transported anywhere in the world
and meet people on every continent.
And that's why I'm posting a daily travel
blog with videos and photos of my experiences
here in China, because I want young people
in America to be part of this visit.
And that's really the power of technology
--- how it can open up the entire world and
expose us to ideas and innovations we never
could have imagined.
And that's why it's so important for information
and ideas to flow freely over the Internet
and through the media, because that's how
we discover the truth.
That's how we learn what's really happening
in our communities and our country and our
world.
And that's how we decide which values and
ideas we think are best --- by questioning
and debating them vigorously, by listening
to all sides of an argument, and by judging
for ourselves.
And believe me, I know how this can be a messy
and frustrating process.
My husband and I are on the receiving end
of plenty of questioning and criticism from
our media and our fellow citizens.
And it's not always easy, but we wouldn't
trade it for anything in the world.
Because time and again, we have seen that
countries are stronger and more prosperous
when the voices of and opinions of all their
citizens can be heard.
And as my husband has said, we respect the
uniqueness of other cultures and societies,
but when it comes to expressing yourself freely
and worshipping as you choose and having open
access to information, we believe those universal
rights -- they are universal rights that are
the birthright of every person on this planet.
We believe that all people deserve the opportunity
to fulfill their highest potential as I was
able to do in the United States.
And as you learn about new cultures and form
new friendships during your time here in China
and in the United States, all of you are the
living, breathing embodiment of those values.
So I guarantee you that in studying abroad,
you're not just changing your own life, you
are changing the lives of everyone you meet.
And as the great American President John F.
Kennedy once said about foreign students studying
in the U.S., he said "I think they teach more
than they learn."
And that is just as true of young Americans
who study abroad.
All of you are America's best face, and China's
best face, to the world -- you truly are.
Every day, you show the world your countries'
energy and creativity and optimism and unwavering
belief in the future.
And every day, you remind us -- and me in
particular -- of just how much we can achieve
if we reach across borders, and learn to see
ourselves in each other, and confront our
shared challenges with shared resolve.
So I hope you all will keep seeking these
kinds of experiences.
And I hope you'll keep teaching each other,
and learning from each other, and building
bonds of friendship that will enrich your
lives and enrich our world for decades to
come.
You all have so much to offer, and I cannot
wait to see all that you achieve together
in the years ahead.
Thank you so much.
Xie-Xie.
(Applause.)
