Round Table China

The Great Wall has survived centuries of wind and war. Now it also faces a new kind of challenge, not from nature, but from the millions who come to love it. Earlier this year, regulations to protect the Great Wall took effect in Beijing. Smarter technology. Tighter oversight. The question is whether these changes can save it from its own popularity. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

Have you ever left a comment about a product online, thinking, "They'll probably never see this"? Well, turns out, sometimes they do and sometimes they actually act on it. From product features to marketing campaigns, brands are paying closer attention than ever. Somewhere along the way, consumers stopped being just buyers and started becoming collaborators. But… do we always love that idea? / Was...

If you were heading to college today, what would you study? Computer science? Finance? Engineering? Now imagine having to choose between things like agricultural robotics, low-altitude economy management, or even brain-computer interfaces. These aren't niche experiments. They're actual majors here in China. And they're part of a bigger shift in how universities are getting students ready for a rap...

Have you heard of "boyfriend photography"? We spend so much time teaching our partners about angles and lighting that we actually start to believe we've turned them into unpaid content creators. But then comes the moment of truth: snap and the photo is still blurry! So what's the problem here? On the show: Niu Honglin, Fei Fei & Yushun

Every year, the May Day holiday gives us a little snapshot — how people travel, how they have fun, and how they spend in vacation mode. In 2026, the data tells us even more! Tourism isn't just about where you go anymore. It's about what you experience. From concerts and sports events to immersive performances, new kinds of cultural consumption are changing the game, reshaping how cities draw in vi...

You've just nailed an interview, and the offer is almost in your inbox. Then HR asks to call your former boss, your colleagues, maybe even your graduate advisor. Suddenly, it doesn't feel like you're just being hired. It feels like you're being investigated. So where's the line between a reasonable background check and an invasion of privacy? And if you say no, are you automatically out of the run...

What do you do when you don't speak the same language but still want to connect? For a group of students from Yale University, the answer was simple: you sing. This March, The Whiffenpoofs acappella choir set out on a tour across China. Round Table's Yushan talked to three members of the team about their journey, the experiences they had, and the stories they want to share.

Fashion shows are easy to picture. The runways of Paris and Milan. The world's most beautiful people in the world's most beautiful clothing. Well, villagers in China have kept the runway, but they've swapped couture for cauliflower. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

May 4th marks Youth Day in China, and to mark the occasion, Round Table's Yushun sat down with Alex Lamb, an AI professor at Tsinghua University. Their topic? How young people are engaging with AI these days.

Have you imagined your career in five years? This International Workers' Day, we examine human value in the age of automation. Who loses ground and who finds an unexpected path? The jobs that last might surprise you, because digital skills only go so far. The real advantage is something slower, messier, and deeply human. On the show: Fei Fei, Niu Honglin & Steve

What happens when a 24-year-old tech worker walks away from her desk job... and into a room where strangers ask her to wash them? On the International Workers' Day, we bring you "Bathing," a radio drama about the work nobody sees and the dignity everybody needs.

What if perfection is boring? A Chinese reality show is putting that question to the test live on air. No retouches. No second takes. Just glorious, awkward, unfiltered authenticity. When did we stop wanting perfection and start wanting someone who sounds exactly like the rest of us? / Awake at night? Don't check the time (13:50) On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

The May Day holiday is nearly upon us, but the booking trends and flight maps tell a different story this year. It's not just where people are going, but how they're thinking about travel altogether. The old rules of a "good vacation" don't seem to apply anymore. Because behind this diverse and more accessible tourism is a safety net, one that's giving people the confidence to truly explore the co...

For decades, rest followed a simple rhythm: work hard all week, recover on the weekend. But that old pattern no longer fits how people actually live and work. Now a quiet new behavior is emerging. Young professionals are subtly reclaiming a few hours in the middle of the week, carving out rest where none officially exists. / Viral diets: Shortcut or risk (17:24)? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve &a...

At a time when many parts of the world are raising trade barriers, one major economy is moving in the opposite direction. China's decision to remove tariffs on imports from 53 African countries is making a clear statement about openness, partnership, and the future of global supply chains. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Gao Junya

One partner here, the other there. Different cities for some. Separate homes in the same crowded metro for others. And strangely, they all say the distance keeps them together. Is planned weekend intimacy the future of love, or just a slow goodbye? / Would you give up your lunch break to go home early (14:02)? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

One of the biggest auto shows in history is happening right now in Beijing, with nearly 1,500 vehicles and over 180 world premieres. But this isn't just about shiny new models. China is rewriting the rules of the road, from next generation batteries to smarter assisted driving. So what are the biggest trends coming out of Beijing, and how will they reshape the cars you drive? On the show: Steve, F...

On this week's edition of The Soapbox, a young woman in southern China has stirred up controversy. She posted about taking a five hour nap at her company in protest of what she calls a low salary. Online, she received very little support. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

At the Sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya, the wind and waves become part of the game, where every move looks effortlessly shaped by the sea. But how does an entire city transform into the main stage? This is where sport meets the shoreline, and the result is anything but ordinary. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

To close our World Book Day series, Round Table invites you into two richly different worlds: Lu Min's "Dinner for Six" and Di An's "Dear Fengmi", read by authors themselves.

National Reading Week has come and gone. According to a fresh report, China's online literature scene isn't just bigger than ever; it's a genuine economic force. / Also today, we wrap up our distinguished Chinese author series with its fifth and final guest, writer Ren He. He shares a book that deeply resonates with him: "I Clean Up Garbage in a Wasteland World." (10:54) On the show: Steve, Yushun...

AI can already book your hotel and order your food. Now it's coming for your ride. In China, platforms are turning ride-hailing into a single sentence. You say what you need, like a smooth trip, a stop along the way, or a car that fits a child or a pet, and AI handles the rest. On the show: Steve, Yushun & Yushan.

A stranger shatters a car window not to steal, but to save. He grabs an AED from the back seat and uses it to rescue a life. If a single device works that fast, and a stranger risked everything to get it, why don't we all have one? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

April 23 is World Book Day. Across China, a week-long celebration of reading has been taking place. And more specifically in Nanchang, the Fifth National Reading Conference has turned books into something more: experiences that blend history, poetry, and cutting-edge technology. / Book recommendation from Chinese writer Lu Min (19:59) On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

Writer Di An wrote the books that defined your teenage years. Now she's writing for the adult you've become. In this third episode of our World Book Day series, we talk about "Dear Fengmi," a novel about a single mom, a twice-divorced man, and a little girl named Honey who asks why ice cream melts. / Does diamond still mean love for eternity to you (14:22)? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Yu...