Round Table China

Summer break arrives with a mountain of homework, but the work is not just for students. Parents across China find themselves tracking assignments, managing schedules, and pushing their kids to stay on pace. They say they just want their children to keep up. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

Paid annual leave is a legal right in China, yet many workers choose not to take it. The reasons are nuanced. Concerns about falling behind, disappointing a manager, or the weight of a culture that values presence over performance all play a part. Provincial governments are introducing new measures to encourage companies to let employees step away. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

No new episode of Round Table in your feed today. We're pausing briefly because we're cooking up something special behind the scenes, and we can't wait to share it with you soon! We'll be back on schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to revisit our past episodes. Thanks for your patience!

Shared bicycles took over China's streets years ago. Their electric cousins? Not so welcome. City officials kept them out over safety worries, parking chaos, and the belief that public transit already had short trips covered. That stance just cracked as Beijing revised its bike-share regulations to include e-bikes for the first time. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

China just introduced new national safety standards for autonomous vehicles. Under these rules, automakers are now required to maintain safety oversight throughout the entire lifecycle of the car, not just at launch. That shift changes who is responsible when things go wrong and redefines the future of driving. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Across China, more and more people are leaving their cities behind for a few days or even an entire month, trading crowded streets and sweltering heat for mountain villages and northern retreats where summer feels mild and manageable. Local towns are adapting quickly, building longer-stay accommodations and outdoor experiences tailored to these new visitors. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun.

Powerful AI used to belong to a handful of tech giants, but that's no longer the case. Today, anyone can download, tinker with, and build on these models, and that shift is reshaping everything from how apps are made to who controls the technology in your daily life. Some call it progress, while others see it as a risk we're underestimating. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun.

A thousand years ago, scholars from across Asia made their way to China to study governance, science, and philosophy. Some even sat for the imperial exams alongside local students. That era eventually faded, and for decades, studying abroad meant one destination: the West. But that map is now being redrawn. So is China becoming a major study destination once again? / The internet's biggest user is no longer human. For the first time, bots generate more traffic. That doesn't mean the web is broken, but it does mean the rules have changed. Advertising, pricing, and even the way we search are...

We all reach for the AC when temperatures soar past 35 degrees. But in one Chinese city, residents are trying something different. In Xuzhou, homes are being cooled with cold water pumped from an abandoned coal mine deep underground. No hot exhaust on the streets. No overworked power grid. Just a smart, low-carbon solution that could change how we think about staying cool in a warming world. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

August 8 is National Fitness Day in China, but for millions of people here, staying active has already become a daily habit, from sunrise park goers to late-night gyms, from cycling clubs to square dancing and smart fitness apps. So what actually turns exercise from a chore into something you stick with for life? We explore the habits, mindsets, and unexpected motivations that keep people moving long after the new year's resolutions fade. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

No new episode of Round Table in your feed today. We're pausing briefly because we're cooking up something special behind the scenes, and we can't wait to share it with you soon! We'll be back on schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to revisit our past episodes. Thanks for your patience, and see you tomorrow!

China's high speed rail network is the largest in the world, and it is faster and more connected than ever. When parents started asking if they could hand off their children to station staff the way they do with flight attendants, the railway gave a firm answer: no. The decision seemed simple, but the reasoning behind it offers a clear look at how China runs its railways and who it holds responsible for passenger safety. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

In a country with over a billion internet users, a single rumor can outrun the truth before breakfast. Words travel at the speed of a share button, some shared with good intent, others carrying the power to destroy. Now China is drafting its first dedicated anti-cyberbullying law, attempting to draw a clear line between a heated debate and a digital mob. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

The way young people build relationships looks nothing like it used to. A new trend called "Soulmanyships" is replacing the old model of one person meeting every emotional need. Today's generation is spreading their connections across friends, family, and even AI companions. Is this shift creating loneliness or a more honest way to connect? / Heart to Heart - please send your emails audio questions to roundtablepodcast@qq.com (11:56). On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Vacations used to mean crowded monuments and a camera roll full of proof you'd been somewhere. This summer, however, travelers are ditching the bucket list for deeper experiences like music festivals, traditional village stays, and hands-on cultural activities that leave a lasting impression. Why is tourism shifting from sightseeing to genuine connection, and how are cities and rural communities adapting to meet this new demand? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

A new survey asked young Chinese migrants what makes a city finally feel like home. The answers had less to do with money or apartments and more to do with something simpler: human connection. But for millions leaving home for school and work, building those bonds is often the hardest part. So what makes some places easier to call home than others? / A dead appliance. A knock on the door. For millions of people living alone in China, that moment can trigger more anxiety than the repair bill ever could. But when the person on the other side is a...

A new survey asked young Chinese migrants what makes a city finally feel like home. The answers had less to do with money or apartments and more to do with something simpler: human connection. But for millions leaving home for school and work, building those bonds is often the hardest part. So what makes some places easier to call home than others? / A dead appliance. A knock on the door. For millions of people living alone in China, that moment can trigger more anxiety than the repair bill ever could. But when the person on the other side is a...

Two Chinese mathematicians just won math's highest honor in the same ceremony, a first for China. One was a prodigy since childhood. The other found math by accident in a small town. Together they cracked problems that stumped the world for generations, including one unsolved for over a century. Two opposite paths led to the same summit on one historic night. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

That greenish-gray spot on your garlic isn't just an annoying kitchen moment, it's a warning sign. This year, erratic weather in China, source of most of the world's garlic, threw the entire growing cycle off balance, and the results are showing up in kitchens everywhere. We dig into what a single moldy clove reveals about a changing planet, and what it means for the food on all our plates. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

We tend to look for great art in quiet libraries and university halls. But the literary world just got turned upside down by a man who spends his days weaving through traffic. At 56 years young, a food delivery rider has won one of China's most prestigious literary awards. Not in spite of his job, but because of it. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

It is summertime, and the box office is heating up. Theaters are packed with everything from big-budget spectacles to quiet dramas and domestic hits sitting right alongside international blockbusters. Audiences are voting with their wallets, and the results are not quite what anyone expected. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Hello listeners, no new episode of Round Table in your feed today. We're pausing briefly because we're cooking up something special behind the scenes, and we can't wait to share it with you soon! We'll be back on schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to revisit our past episodes. Thanks for your patience, and see you tomorrow!

We have all asked AI for a recommendation, to polish an email, or to diagnose a strange symptom. It is useful and fast, and lately it has become our first stop for answers. Then a story broke out of China about a journalist with a press card and an AI that got it dangerously wrong. Have we stopped questioning the machine? / Vinyl is alive and kicking (16:20)! On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

For over a thousand years, one Chinese city transformed clay into treasures so coveted that kings demanded them, empires tried to copy them, and the material itself became synonymous with the nation that made it. Now, that extraordinary legacy has earned Jingdezhen a spot on UNESCO's World Heritage List. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

We plan trips around monuments, museums, and must-see sights, and they're incredible for a reason. But years later, what actually sticks? A new report on young Chinese travelers suggests that human connections matter more than a museum ticket. They're choosing destinations not just by what's on the postcard, but by how welcome they feel. / What if your TV could follow you from room to room? That's the reality taking shape in China right now, thanks to something called the "bestie screen." This isn't sci-fi. It's the next chapter in how we consume content. / Heart to Heart. On the show: Steve...

We plan trips around monuments, museums, and must-see sights, and they're incredible for a reason. But years later, what actually sticks? A new report on young Chinese travelers suggests that human connections matter more than a museum ticket. They're choosing destinations not just by what's on the postcard, but by how welcome they feel. / What if your TV could follow you from room to room? That's the reality taking shape in China right now, thanks to something called the "bestie screen." This isn't sci-fi. It's the next chapter in how we consume content. / Heart to Heart. On the show: Steve...

China's buffet restaurants used to be the pinnacle of dining out. Then they lost their shine and nearly disappeared from the dining scene. But now they are making a surprising comeback, this time in shopping malls with much lower price tags. So what changed, and have diners' expectations changed along with the price? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Xingyu

For years, China's delivery riders have been trapped in a cruel dynamic. Their apps track every second, but algorithms have no idea when riders are stuck at red lights. Late penalties pile up for delays completely out of their control. Now Suzhou is integrating traffic signal data with delivery platforms, so the countdown pauses when riders wait at intersections. Will this change be enough to alleviate the anxiety riders feel about late deliveries? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Xingyu

Hello listeners, no new episode of Round Table in your feed today. We're pausing briefly because we're cooking up something special behind the scenes, and we can't wait to share it with you soon! We'll be back on schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to revisit our past episodes. Thanks for your patience, and see you tomorrow!

Binge-watching once reigned supreme. Entire seasons consumed before the weekend was through. But the landscape is shifting. Streamers are pacing releases, audiences are scrolling past, and that "next episode" prompt no longer guarantees instant gratification. Was the binge a revolution or a fleeting moment? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

Every summer, heaps of university students trade campus life for rural communities, arriving with laptops, lesson plans, and big ideas. They teach children, sell produce online, and lend a hand wherever they're needed. But the brochures leave something out. The real story isn't just what they bring to the countryside. It's what they bring back. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

It's 5 AM. You've finally dozed off after a night of beeping monitors and creaky gurneys, only to be shaken awake for vitals. Infuriating? Or lifesaving? Patients are furious, but medics stand by their protocols. Because in a hospital, rest and recovery don't always play nice. / Watch out for Sanfu in summer (13:24)! On the show: Steve, Yushan & Xingyu

Robots filling prescriptions. AI assistants planning your day. Machines accelerating scientific discovery. This year's World Artificial Intelligence Conference offered a glimpse into a future arriving faster than many expected. As AI becomes more capable, the challenge is no longer just building smarter machines. It's building the trust, safeguards and governance to keep pace. On the show: Steve, Yushan & 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

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

China's ice cream market has gone cold, but not in the way you might think. Warehouses are quiet. Distributors are on edge. The familiar summer frenzy for frozen treats is losing its grip. It is no longer just about escaping the heat. It is about changing tastes, rising prices, and a generation that views indulgence differently. / When was the last time you updated your social media profile photo (18:40)? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

Hainan just pulled the plug on gasoline cars. By 2030, no new sales, period. For some, it's a bold leap forward. For others, it raises hard questions. What happens to millions of drivers still filling up at the pump? Can an all-electric future really work on the road, with charging, grid strain, and a massive mindset shift all in play? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

A rocket booster costs tens of millions of dollars. For decades, the industry has been throwing them away after a single launch. China just proved there's another way, and the ripple effects could change who gets to space and how often. / Would you send your doggy to doggy daycare (14:32)? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

You tell it your secrets. It knows your routines, your worries, and your bad days. Then one morning, it's gone because a company decided to pull the servers. Across China, millions of users are waking up to that silence as various companies have shut down the AI characters people built, talked to, and even fell in love with. When that digital voice fades to nothing, are you just clearing storage, or are you losing someone who mattered? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

One traveler, one taxi ride, and 21 million likes later, a viral video earned its creator a life-changing payday from Xizang's tourism officials. But that check came with a catch. When a government pays for your "authentic" story, is it still genuine? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan