First lady promotes 'citizen diplomacy'

US first lady Michelle Obama (R) hugs a student at the Stanford Center at Peking University in Beijing on March 22, 2014. Wang Jing / For China Daily

Before her speech, Obama expressed her concerns for the families and loved ones of Chinese passengers on missing Malaysia Airlines MH370, and stressed that the "US is offering as many resources as possible to assist in the search."

Obama, who is from a humble background, is the epitome of the "American Dream", as is her husband and current US President Barack. She studied at the prestigious Princeton and Harvard Universities, and made a name for herself as a successful lawyer in Chicago.

She has stressed the importance of education, especially among women and the young, ever since her husband took office in 2009. In particular, she is calling for more exchanges between the youth of China and the US.

"By learning each others' languages and by showing such curiosity and respect for each other's cultures … all of you are building bridges of understanding that lead to much more. And I'm here today because I know that our future depends on connections like those among young people like you across the globe," she said.

"We believe that relationships between nations aren't just about relationships between governments or leaders … they're about relationships between people, particularly our 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."

Special:US first lady visits China