The First Lady arrived in Beijing today, accompanied by daughters Sasha and Malia as well as her mother Marian Robinson.
On Friday, she is to spend the day with Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, something which diplomats hope will build bridges between the two countries.
Touchdown: Michelle Obama lands in Beijing with her daughters Sasha, centre, and Malia, right, for a week-long tour of China
Force of one: Although Mrs Obama will avoid
politics and instead focus her trip on education, she is set to meet
the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow
'I think this is a very good
opportunity to improve the China-U.S. relations, as the first lady can
represent the soft side of diplomacy,' said Wang Dong, a political
scientist at Peking University's School of International Studies.'Michelle Obama herself has been accomplished in areas such as women's rights, children issues and education, and I think members of the Chinese public are anticipating her visit with a positive attitude,' Wang said.
During her trip to China, Mrs Obama will visit several schools and universities in Beijing as well as hosting a roundtable on education and promoting exchange programmes.
By her side will be her two daughters, but also her 76-year-old mother Marian Robinson.
Mrs Robinson, the first live-in grandmother in the White House since the 1950s, is the only living grandparent of Malia, 15, and Sasha 12.
United: Michelle has taken both her teenage daughters as well as her mother Marian Robinson on the trip
Well dressed: Ahead of the trip, Mrs Obama's
fashion sense has been compared with that of the Chinese First Lady, and
she did not disappoint when she disembarked in Beijing
The girls were both in skater-style skirts, black tights and Sasha wore trendy black-laced shoes
The First Lady is no slouch in the footwear department and wore thigh high black heeled boots
True elegance: Michelle Obama and her daughters
are met by Max Baucus, the new U.S. Ambassador to China, as they
arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport
Home team: Mrs Obama is greeted by Baucus, center, and his wife Melodee Hanes, left, after disembarking
She is a constant presence in Malia and Sasha’s daily lives, helping them with homework, taking them to and from school and caring for them when their parents are out of town.
White House officials hope that by accompanying her daughter and granddaughters, she will ‘resonate with the Chinese people,’ as it is common for grandparents help bring up children in the Asian powerhouse nation.
In China, and a majority of South-East Asian countries, families keep multi-generational households and grandparents are seen as secondary care providers.
‘I think they understand the significance as well of family and of three generations of family traveling together, which I think the Chinese will appreciate, and will appreciate the ties and the bonds that the Obama family have with one another across generations,’ the first lady's chief of staff Tina Tchen said.
‘This is a great opportunity for the Obama family to experience that, and I think for the Chinese to see that as well in an American family.’
The president himself, meanwhile, appears to be suffering from empty-nest syndrome as he addressed an audience at the White House.
‘Michelle and the girls are on their way to China, it's very lonely at home,’ President Obama said, according to NBC News.
Close knit: Mrs Robinson moved in to the White
House to help the Obamas care for Sasha and Malia, something which White
House officials hope will resonate with the Chinese people
Two sides: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama,
pictured in February, will meet with her Chinese counterpart Peng Liyuan
in Beijing tomorrow
MICHELLE OBAMA
Born: January 17, 1964 (age 50)
Education: Bachelor of Arts in sociology (maj) and African American studies, Princeton University and Juris Doctor, Harvard Law
Children: Daughters Malia, born 1998, and Natasha 'Sasha' Obama, born in 2001
Job before becoming 'First Lady': Vice President for Community and External Affairs at University of Chicago Hospitals.
Philanthropic work: 'Let's Move!' campaign to battle childhood obesity, LGBT rights advocate, promotes organic food and healthy eating
Education: Bachelor of Arts in sociology (maj) and African American studies, Princeton University and Juris Doctor, Harvard Law
Children: Daughters Malia, born 1998, and Natasha 'Sasha' Obama, born in 2001
Job before becoming 'First Lady': Vice President for Community and External Affairs at University of Chicago Hospitals.
Philanthropic work: 'Let's Move!' campaign to battle childhood obesity, LGBT rights advocate, promotes organic food and healthy eating
PENG LIYUAN
Born: November 20, 1962 (age 51)
Education: Masters in 'traditional ethnic music' from China Conservatory of Music
Children: Daughter Xi Mingze, born in 1992
Job before becoming 'First Lady': After leaving China's People's Liberation Army, she remains a famous patriotic singer and Dean of the People's Liberation Army Art Academy. Peng is a civilian member of the Chinese army and holds major general rank.
Philanthropic work: Peng has served as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS since 2011
Education: Masters in 'traditional ethnic music' from China Conservatory of Music
Children: Daughter Xi Mingze, born in 1992
Job before becoming 'First Lady': After leaving China's People's Liberation Army, she remains a famous patriotic singer and Dean of the People's Liberation Army Art Academy. Peng is a civilian member of the Chinese army and holds major general rank.
Philanthropic work: Peng has served as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS since 2011
Xi Jinping (centre) and Peng Liyuan arrive in
Kuala Lumpur in October last year. Peng's presence is unusual insomuch
as wives of Chinese leaders are rarely seen
Speaking ahead of a screening of Cesar Chavez, a film about the life of the farm labor activist, President Obama showed that even the most powerful man in the world can get confused by technology.
‘I cannot stay for the screening; somebody's going to get me the CD. Or whatever, I'm a little technologically challenged - the DVD!’
Mrs Obama's trip provides an opportunity for the U.S. President and Chinese President Xi to cultivate a personal relationship through their wives following their meeting in Sunnylands in California last year, Wang said.
'Such a personal relationship with mutual trust is crucial, as the China-U.S. relationship has entered a more challenging phrase,' Wang added.
Peng, Xi's wife, accompanied her husband on the Sunnylands visit but did not meet Mrs. Obama, who stayed in Washington.
Her absence left some Chinese grumbling and the visit allows the first lady to make up for it.
'I think this provides a natural reason to stay engaged' before Xi and Obama meet again, Wang said.
Forever Alone: President Barack Obama, pictured
on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Thursday, said it was lonely in the White
House without his wife and daughters
The trip also gives Peng unusual prominence in a Chinese official culture that usually keeps leaders' spouses in the background.
Peng, a popular folk singer, was better known than Xi before he became Communist Party leader and president.
'She has a good presence on television,' said Willy Lam, a political analyst at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
MICHELLE OBAMA'S ITINERARY
THURSDAY: Michelle, Sasha and Malia Obama and Marian Robinson arrive in Beijing.
FRIDAY: Joins China's first lady Peng Liyuan at Beijing Normal School; visits Forbidden City; meets with Peng and joins her for dinner and performance.
SATURDAY: Addresses students at Stanford Center at Peking University; participates in virtual discussion with American youth; visits Summer Palace; meets with staff and families of U.S. Embassy.
SUNDAY: Hosts roundtable on education; visits Great Wall.
MONDAY, March 24: Arrives Xi'an, visits Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, Xi'an City Wall.
TUESDAY, March 25: Visits Chengdu No. 7 High School; meets with staff and families of U.S. Consulate.
WEDNESDAY, March 25: Visits Chengdu Panda Base; has lunch at a Tibetan restaurant.
FRIDAY: Joins China's first lady Peng Liyuan at Beijing Normal School; visits Forbidden City; meets with Peng and joins her for dinner and performance.
SATURDAY: Addresses students at Stanford Center at Peking University; participates in virtual discussion with American youth; visits Summer Palace; meets with staff and families of U.S. Embassy.
SUNDAY: Hosts roundtable on education; visits Great Wall.
MONDAY, March 24: Arrives Xi'an, visits Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, Xi'an City Wall.
TUESDAY, March 25: Visits Chengdu No. 7 High School; meets with staff and families of U.S. Consulate.
WEDNESDAY, March 25: Visits Chengdu Panda Base; has lunch at a Tibetan restaurant.
Earlier today it emerged that Michelle Obama will not take questions from reporters or give interviews during her tour of China, and members of the press corps who usually follows the first family everywhere can't travel with her entourage.
And although she will make a few speeches with reporters in the room, the picture is largely one of an expensive, taxpayer-funded tourism exercise for Mrs. Obama, her two daughters, and her mother – not the official trip the White House has projected.
White House press officials haven't comment on the record about whether a reported ban on question-and-answer interviews applies equally to American journalists and international reporters.
Limited information made available to MailOnline suggests that only two out of 22 scheduled events on the trip will afford journalists a chance to do any significant reporting.
The White House also indicated that the two events during the trip that are completely open to journalists will not see the first lady be interviewed or take questions, and they are marked 'space limited' on her itinerary.
'Throughout the week she will participate in open press and pooled events including speeches at two schools, questions from students online and forums including a CNN iReport,' a White House official told MailOnline
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