First lady Michelle Obama told an audience of students in the Chinese capital on March 22 that access to information is a universal right, according to Reuters.
Obama spokes to around 200 Chinese and U.S. citizens at Beijing's Peking University.
"It is so important for information and ideas to flow freely over the internet and through the media," Obama said at Beijing's Penking University this weekend, according to Reuters.
The U.S. is one of China's biggest critics when it comes to human rights, including the way it handles the protection of freedom of speech.
Internet users all over the country can't access information regarding a number of controversial topics without using special software to bypass restrictions.
"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," Obama added. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."
Obama will promote cultural ties and education during her week-long trip, according to Reuters. She will visit the historic city of Xi'an, the Great Wall, and the southern city of Chengdu with her two daughters and mother.
Previous U.S. first ladies like Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton also spoke out against other countries' human rights laws during trips abroad during their husbands' terms.
"Between texting, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat we're all interconnected," U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus said this weekend.
Both Facebook and Twitter are blocked in China.
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