Round Table China

If you have ever watched a drama and wondered why fans lose their minds over the opening credits, it all comes down to billing order. In China's entertainment industry, a name's position is everything. But new rules arriving this summer will standardize billing across all dramas. What does this mean for your favorite stars, and is the fight for top billing really over? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Xingyu

Finding a place to live in a new city is supposed to be exciting. Then you start scrolling listings and realizing those perfect photos are probably from a decade ago. Renting in China has changed. Young renters want something their parents never expected. The market is shifting, hidden pitfalls catch first-timers off guard, and turning a lease into a home takes more than just signing. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Xingyu

June 19 marks this year's Dragon Boat Festival, one of China's oldest traditions. These days, it is about more than rice dumplings and boat races. The holiday now includes study tours, DIY herb bouquets, healthier takes on zongzi, and race events built around tourism. How can ancient celebrations evolve without losing their soul? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yangyang

For years, "A" grades have been piling up like participation trophies. Now Harvard University is hitting the brakes. A strict 20 percent cap on top marks has students nervous and corporate recruiters thrilled. Why the sudden crackdown, and will other elite schools follow suit? / Does your fruit look different at home than in the market (22:41)? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yangyang

Open a music app in China and you might find a poet from a thousand years ago sitting alongside today's biggest pop stars. Ancient lyrics are being set to fresh new melodies, and young listeners are trading textbooks for playlists. This is how the past goes viral in the present. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

China welcomed more than 150 million international visitors in 2025, and the usual postcard sights are only part of the story. Easier visa rules and a new wave of discovery driven by social media are flipping the old narrative on its head. From reimagined heritage sites to experiences that blend tradition with modern flair, the country is offering something fresh at every turn. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

Walk into a milk tea shop these days, and you may leave carrying more than just a drink. Crisps, cakes, and even surprise snack packs now line the shelves alongside the bubble tea. Chinese brands are transforming a quick sip into a full‑fledged shopping experience. It is affordable, convenient, and rapidly becoming the norm! / Are personality tests picking the best hires (09:14)? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

Getting a child the right care sometimes meant a long trip to a big city hospital. Local clinics just did not inspire enough trust. But now, doctors are teaming up with artificial intelligence to give community physicians a powerful backup tool. This is not about replacing doctors. It is about giving them on‑demand access to an AI second opinion that never sleeps. On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

We trust online reviews. We buy what influencers recommend. But what happens when those reviews are faked or secretly paid for? China just rolled out new rules targeting influencers who rig demos, hide sponsorships, and fabricate test results. The era of fake reviews may finally be ending. / What is a "mango pineapple" (21:35)? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

China's new policy allows you to share your health insurance wallet with parents, grandparents, siblings, and children across the country. One app and one tap create a national safety net for your entire family. That digital connection bridges the distance when the people you love live provinces away. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

There's a growing backlash against the throwaway culture most of us grew up with. Enter the Repair Café movement. Strangers sit down together, pull out their broken stuff, and actually fix it. They bring in toasters, sweaters, lamps, and anything else you can imagine. What started small has turned into a global wave of people who refuse to replace what they can repair. / The Soapbox:"Photo-Perfect People"(14:18) On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

The takeout bag that shows up at your door doesn't look or feel like it used to. Same goes for the straw, the container, and the little box holding your noodles. The guidelines for delivery packaging are getting stricter, which means everything from the materials to the design is being redesigned to be more efficient and better for the planet. So what exactly has changed, and how did we get here? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Every four years, the World Cup takes over the planet. But behind the viral moments and dramatic goals lies a much bigger story. We're talking global brands, local businesses, wild tech experiments, and debates no one saw coming. This isn't just about football. It's about what the world's biggest event reveals about all of us, including the people who never watch a single game. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yang Guang

The Shanghai International Film Festival is back and completely different this year, breaking records with over 4,100 submissions from 125 countries. But the real story is what happens off screen, from AI workshops and experimental film labs to walking tours through historic neighborhoods. So how is SIFF turning all of Shanghai into part of the show? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yang Guang

What if your shortcut to a better body came with hidden costs? Luxury weight loss camps are booming, promising fast results and a summer transformation. But behind the glossy reviews, some facilities have been cited for safety violations. When does a health goal become a health risk? / Why is an apology so hard to get right (19:09)? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

As mosquito-borne diseases spread, Chinese cities are taking action. But a proposal coming from one company in the U.S. is another story. Releasing over 30 million bioengineered mosquitoes sounds extreme. Is it bold science or a step too far? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Our ancestors built the Parthenon and the Forbidden City. We are scrolling screens. Turns out, both can coexist. In China and elsewhere in the world, brands are selling ancient philosophical ideas as lifestyle, and museums are turning temples into selfie backdrops. Are young people looking backward to move forward? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

China lifted nearly 100 million people out of poverty, a feat praised worldwide. But the real test begins now. How do you keep poverty from coming back? The country built a digital net that spots disaster before it strikes, tracking medical bills, income drops, and housing risks. But early warnings alone aren’t enough. The deeper challenge is building lives that are stable and worth staying for. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

Do you still fold your own laundry? That might feel very 2025. In some cities across China, household robots are already working alongside human cleaners, handling repetitive tasks while people focus on more delicate work. The future of housework is arriving faster than you think! / China's internet finds its mascot: A tired opossum (15:18). On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

Between the down payment, the mortgage, and the repairs, owning a home is never as simple as getting the keys. The government is proposing broader use of housing provident fund. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

The Gaokao is here. In 2026, with AI and smart classrooms reshaping education, what has become of this tradition? Forget the scores for a minute. What does this ritual actually reveal about hope, struggle, and coming of age in today's China? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

Take a deep breath. Half the oxygen you just inhaled came from one place, the ocean. But right now, that invisible life support system is sending distress signals. Warmer waters. Emptying nets. Coastlines that no longer look familiar. This World Oceans Day, we explore what happens when the thing we've taken for granted begins to shift and how we can rise to meet that challenge. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

You know that feeling when everyone else seems to have it figured out and you're just wandering? The Odyssey time of life may have you wondering how to navigate the unknown. The good news is, you're not alone. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

World Environment Day is no longer just about emissions and tree planting. This year, the UN wants us to reimagine our economies and our relationship with the planet. China's vision? "Beautiful China," where development and ecology grow side by side. Plus, a conversation with Tahomina Sultana, a young woman with a dream to help her home country of Bangladesh. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

From pickleball to Hyrox, the way China is getting fit is changing. Across the country, 800 million people took part in outdoor sports last year. Retirees. Office workers. Mothers. They are turning courts and trails into offline social platforms. They are not here to win or get attention. They are here for the experience. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

For decades, Chinese factories and families saved money by waiting until midnight to use bulk electricity. But as solar power floods the grid, the cheapest electricity is not necessarily at midnight anymore. With record heat driving up power usage, operators are rethinking how to design the system in a smarter way with a more flexible pricing system. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

Centuries of art history, billions of dollars, and one problem that may finally have a solution. Fingerprint of Things (FoT) technology now allows researchers to use microscopic bubble patterns and tangled paper fibers as natural ID cards for ancient objects. / Are you a future faker (14:58)? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

From lattes and cakes to bottled drinks and soft serve, matcha is everywhere right now, and China makes a huge percentage of the world's supply. Farmers are ditching old crops, factories can't keep up, and exports are exploding. Is this just another social media fad, or is matcha here to stay? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Vegetable anxiety is trending. Young diners feel "anxious" if there isn't enough produce on the plate. That's a strange twist, because getting anyone to eat their leafy greens used to be the hard part. Somewhere along the way, the script flipped. So what changed? And what happens when a generation can no longer trust a meal that's missing the greens? / Heart to Heart - please send your audio questions to roundtablepodcast@qq.com (13:22). On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

You remember when the internet just handed everything over for free. Maps, music, random facts at three in the morning. Nobody asked who was really paying for it. Now AI is flipping the script. The same tools that save time and think alongside people are starting to ask for money. So was free always a trap? Or have we just never considered what it costs to pay for our own intelligence? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

A mother wants to protect her child from bullying. So she files a complaint. Then another. Then she goes after a university professor. The problem? No one seems to agree with her bullying claim. When protecting your child becomes a crusade, who decides where to draw the line? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Xingyu

AI chatbots, storytelling robots, and companion apps are entertaining, comforting, and teaching kids earlier than ever. But China's Ministry of Education is now pushing back. They want families to swap screens for playgrounds and apps for real play. In a world flooded with smart technology, how do we make sure our kids are still being kids? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Xingyu

What do motorcycles, letters from overseas, and university campuses have in common? On the surface, nothing. But dig a little deeper, and nothing is truly separate. The Full Circle finds that connection. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

The UK just passed a radical ban: no tobacco for anyone born after 2008. Meanwhile, Chinese cities like Shenzhen and Hong Kong are using AI and other technologies to police public smoking, all in the name of clean air. Gen Z is becoming the first "nicotine free generation." But even if laws really can kill addiction, where do we draw the line between protecting health and policing choice? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Think about something you held onto for too long. A job, a project, a goal that just wasn't working. We all love stories about people who never gave up, but staying with the wrong thing can drain years from your life. So how can we know when it's time to let go? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

AI doesn't just eat data. It devours power, water, and land. So what happens when you run out of all three? China answered by going underwater. Off Shanghai, one of the country's first commercial ocean-floor data centers has gone live. It is powered by offshore wind and cooled by the sea itself. Could it be a smart solution to the world's data center controversy? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

How did Chinese migrants send money and messages home before phones or banks existed? They did not click send. Instead, they handed cash and letters to couriers who crossed the sea on faith alone. It was not fast, but it somehow worked. We're talking about Qiaopi, a forgotten system that connected families when nothing else could. / Would you take a lot more money for a lot more loneliness (14:25)? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Xingyu

You share a room, you share the space, and you might even share the chores. But what happens when your roommate starts running a business from the top bunk? In China, some students are launching side hustles right from their dorms. But when does a side gig start to cross the line? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Xingyu

Tourists wander into lecture halls. Students grumble about lost seats. All because one university in China decided to open its campus to the public. Suddenly, a simple question becomes complicated: who actually gets to use a university? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Niu Honglin.

There comes a moment when the person who taught you to tie your shoes asks you how to open an app. For many young people, that moment repeats itself. Teaching parents to use phones, avoid scams, and navigate apps has become part of family life. It's not just about technology. It's about patience, role reversal, and watching the people who raised you grow older. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Niu Honglin.