Michelle Obama tells Chinese students internet freedom`s a universal right
US first lady Michelle Obama told an audience of college students in the Chinese capital on Saturday that open access to information - especially online - is a universal right.
|Last Updated: Mar 22, 2014, 02:32 PM IST|Source: Reuters
Beijing: US first lady Michelle Obama told an audience of college students in the Chinese capital on Saturday that open access to information - especially online - is a universal right.
But Obama stopped short of calling on China to offer its citizens greater freedoms on a visit in which she is expected to steer clear of more complicated political issues, but rather try to build goodwill through soft diplomacy.
"It is so important for information and ideas to flow freely over the internet and through the media," Obama said told an audience of about 200 US and Chinese students at Beijing`s prestigious Peking University.
"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," she added. "But I wouldn`t trade it for anything in the world."
Censorship in Chinese news media and online is widespread, and internet users in the country cannot access information about many controversial topics without special software to circumvent restrictions.
The United States frequently criticises China`s human rights record, including its lack of protection of freedom of speech.
Obama, a Harvard-educated lawyer, is focusing on promoting education and cultural ties during the week-long trip, and will also visit the Great Wall, the historic city of Xi`an, and the southern city of Chengdu along with her mother and two daughters.
Former US first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton both criticised other countries` human rights records on trips abroad while their husbands were in office.
US Ambassador to China Max Baucus also touched on internet freedom on Saturday in remarks to the students before Obama`s speech.
"Between texting, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat we`re all interconnected," he said, describing how technology enables better communication between cultures.
Twitter and Facebook are both blocked in China.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.