"First Lady Interaction" as an Innovative Approach to U.S.-China Diplomacy
Michelle's visit to China is at the invitation of Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping. From today until the 26th, Michelle will visit Beijing, Xi'an, and Chengdu with her two daughters and mother.
In the history of U.S.-China exchanges, there have been precedents of American "First Ladies" visiting China alone, such as Hillary Clinton attending the United Nations Women's Conference in Beijing in 1995 as the First Lady. However, Michelle is the first "First Lady" to make a special trip to China.
Another focus of public attention regarding Michelle's trip to China is her meeting with Peng Liyuan. Last June, Xi Jinping and Obama engaged in "mansion diplomacy" in California, where Peng Liyuan was present, but Michelle was absent due to caring for her daughters.
After a gap of nine months, the meeting between the First Ladies of the two countries will take place in Beijing. According to the itinerary, during her stay in Beijing, Peng Liyuan will accompany Michelle to visit a middle school, tour the Forbidden City, have a private dinner, and watch a performance. The interaction between the two First Ladies has attracted global media attention.
"Michelle's visit to China can be seen as a supplement to her absence during the meeting with the Xi couple last year. Furthermore, the visit method of inviting one First Lady by another is a diplomatic innovation between the U.S. and China, which holds special significance," said Ma Zhenggang, Vice President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, to reporters from China News Service.
Due to its "special significance," the White House announced Michelle's visit to China as early as early March, and the White House website even launched a special webpage for Michelle's visit. Additionally, from learning simple Chinese to consulting elementary school students about "travel tips" and "culinary experiences" in China, Michelle has shown great importance to this visit.
Focusing on Youth and Education, Expected Not to Involve Political Issues
According to previous introductions from the U.S. side, education is the main focus of Michelle's visit to China, with another emphasis on encouraging more exchanges between Chinese and American youth, hoping to deepen American youth's understanding of China through this visit.
"Although there are many political issues between the U.S. and China, the interaction between the two First Ladies has also attracted significant international media attention. However, from an international customary perspective, the interactions between First Ladies mainly focus on 'soft topics' such as culture, education, and women and children, rather than executing specific political tasks," Ma Zhenggang said.
In fact, observing the itinerary of Michelle's visit, it is evident that she aims to enhance people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. from a cultural perspective.
According to reports from the U.S. side, on March 22, Michelle will deliver a speech at Peking University, meet with Chinese and American students, and discuss issues related to studying abroad and the important role of technology in cultural exchanges; on the 24th, she will visit Xi'an to see the Terracotta Army and the ancient city wall; on the 25th, she will visit Chengdu, where she will again meet with Chinese students at a middle school and deliver her second speech in China.
Although not engaging in politics has been Michelle's consistent principle during her solo visits to other countries, some American media have previously published articles urging Michelle to raise sensitive topics such as human rights during her visit to China, indirectly putting pressure on her trip.
According to Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy, Michelle will not overlook the overall situation of her visit to China due to some domestic noise. "The positioning of this visit is to create a good atmosphere for communication and exchange between the U.S. and China. If sensitive topics are discussed along the way, the effectiveness of Michelle's visit to China may be greatly diminished."
First Lady Diplomacy as a Link, U.S.-China Relations Welcome "Soft Adjustment"
Although it has been basically confirmed that Michelle's visit to China will not touch on political issues, there are still many political speculations regarding her intentions for the visit.
Since the "mansion meeting" between the leaders of the U.S. and China last June, although there has been a consensus on building a new type of major power relationship, conflicts and confrontations between the U.S. and China continue regarding issues such as Sino-Japanese relations, air defense identification zones, and the South China Sea. Additionally, Obama's choice to visit Asia in April "passing over China" has also drawn more attention to the political signals behind Michelle's visit to China.
"On the surface, this may seem like a visit that does not involve politics, but the First Lady of the United States visiting China alone already carries an obvious political implication," Li Haidong said. As part of Obama's diplomatic efforts towards China this year, Michelle's visit at this time is indeed timely.
Li Haidong stated that historically, the leading role of leaders has been crucial in the development of U.S.-China relations. "Not long after Michelle's visit to China, the meeting between the leaders of the U.S. and China will also take place during the Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands. While the leaders discuss political mutual trust, the First Ladies promote mutual understanding among the people. In the face of the current complex U.S.-China relations, the warm interaction between the leaders' families is undoubtedly a 'soft adjustment' in U.S.-China relations, and this 'soft adjustment' is essential for the long-term development of U.S.-China relations."
Experts believe that although communication at all levels between the U.S. and China has become more frequent and institutionalized in recent years, exchanges among ordinary people, especially the younger generation, still need to be strengthened. The lack of these exchanges will negatively impact the development of U.S.-China relations.
Li Haidong reminds that Michelle's visit to China with her children and her commitment to update her blog with her experiences in China represent a rare public diplomacy activity for both countries. "Introducing China to American youth from the perspective of the First Lady and conveying a true impression of China to the American public, this mutual understanding is a long-term project for U.S.-China relations."
