Round Table China

For many people, dogs are family members, not just pets. That makes it especially difficult when a city begins enforcing rules that could leave some dogs effectively confined to their homes. Hangzhou's regulations have led to discussion about fairness and practical solutions, with the goal of balancing the needs of residents, dog owners and the four-legged family members themselves. On the show: S...

China's outdoor adventure boom is reshaping how people spend their free time, from weekend cycling groups and hiking trails to marathon runners chasing personal bests. That surge in demand is fueling a massive commercial opportunity across high-tech gear, tourism and sporting events. The industry now faces the challenge of sustaining growth while preserving the people, places and natural environme...

Hundreds of yuan for a desk buddy that won't lift a finger to help you sounds like a bad deal. No chores, no career advice, just the occasional funny noise. Yet an entire generation seems to think otherwise. China's booming market for AI companions is built on charm over brainpower, and the companies behind it are betting that connection matters more than capability. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei &...

Fresh watermelons in Chinese markets practically all year round are just the beginning. Behind that year-round produce sits a much larger experiment in connecting 1.4 billion consumers and producers into one seamless national market. As global businesses gather in Shanghai for the ninth CIIE this week, the focus turns to what a unified national market actually means on the ground and who stands to...

A morning routine becomes an optimized system, and a few favorite songs become a curated playlist. Social media in China and also elsewhere in the world has turned ordinary life into something to label, package, and present, and that playful habit of naming is exactly what makes internet slang so much fun to learn. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Across China, more public hospitals are now stepping into the childcare business, offering care for children under three. Could that make childcare more affordable for young families? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Cameras roll as medical students compete, and viewers question whether they are ready for real patients. A Chinese reality show has sparked fierce debate after contestants stumbled through basic clinical tasks. The fallout raises questions about medical education as entertainment and who bears responsibility. / Do you wash your hair for someone special (18:05)? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

Badminton players in China are finally catching a break after two years of steep price increases. Cheaper raw materials and synthetic shuttlecocks squeezing the feather market are quietly reshaping the industry. Casual players welcome the lower prices, while premium brands go their own way. What's really driving the change, and where does the shuttlecock industry go next? On the show: Steve, Yushu...

Chinese tourist sites are no longer just backdrops for vacation photos. Step inside one and you may find yourself cast in a story. Performers take on characters, characters become stars, and some attractions now recruit talent from overseas in pursuit of the next viral moment. Sustaining the spectacle is a harder trick, and it comes down to the opportunities, the pressures, and the race to stand o...

China operates the world's largest fleet of agricultural drones. They spray crops, scout fields, and haul fruit down mountainsides that once cost hours of sweat to cross. On many farms, the hardest worker no longer stands in the field. It hums overhead. How does that revolution reach every farmer? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Who looks after your baby when you go back to work? Across China, more public hospitals are now stepping into the childcare business, offering care for children under three. Could that make childcare more affordable for young families? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Every small habit now comes with a name. A morning routine becomes an optimized system, and a few favorite songs become a curated playlist. Social media in China and also elsewhere in the world has turned ordinary life into something to label, package, and present, and that playful habit of naming is exactly what makes internet slang so much fun to learn. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Liangzhu offers rare evidence of early state formation in China, and safeguarding a 5,000-year-old civilization means more than preserving artifacts. The next generation also needs to feel what life was like then, so experts are using drone light shows and virtual reality in creative and careful ways. The real challenge is protecting the past while making it discoverable. On the show: Steve, Fei F...

AI tools can review scans, faces, and even your tongues. In China, a machine can tell you what's wrong with your body in minutes after a quick scan of your tongue. But healthcare AI also raises real questions about its promises, its blind spots, and the moments when a screen could save someone or cause harm. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan.

From "Flash Step" to "no heartburn," catchphrases are taking China's internet by storm. People are copying the moves, sharing the jokes, and joining the fun. Let's unpack the buzzwords, explore the cultural references, and see what gets lost in translation. On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun

Zhongkao, China's high school entrance exam, is a milestone nearly every Chinese student must face. But now, some cities and counties are weighing a bold idea: let students move straight into senior high school. Could scrapping Zhongkao ease students' academic pressure? And are students, parents, and schools ready for such a big change? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun 

A new café seating policy from Starbucks has reignited a debate here in China about what coffee shops are for. Are they simply places to buy coffee, or public-facing spaces where people can work, study, meet friends, or take a break? / Duolingo is now offering lessons in the Shanghai dialect (19:04). On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

China's long-distance coach industry is staging a comeback, with electric buses, smarter route planning, and services tailored to traveler needs driving the revival. How is the humble coach finding new ways to win passengers back in a country where where high-speed rail and budget flights dominate? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

A freshman's allowance gets slashed mid-semester, setting off a small family negotiation over weekly payments, a trial period, and a bonus tied to exam results. What looks like a simple money dispute runs deeper, raising questions about dependence, trust, and whether college is where young people should learn to manage money or just spend it. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

What if we could understand disease and predict whether a treatment will work before spending years and billions of dollars testing it? China has made computational medicine a national priority, betting that AI, supercomputing, and massive biological data can transform drug discovery by 2030. Can computing truly lead us to better cures, and what doors does this emerging field open for the next gen...

From "Flash Step" to "no heartburn," catchphrases are taking China's internet by storm. People are copying the moves, sharing the jokes, and joining the fun. But there's often more to these viral trends than meets the eye. Let's unpack the buzzwords, explore the cultural references, and see what gets lost in translation. On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun

Zhongkao, China's high school entrance exam, is a milestone nearly every Chinese student must face. But now, some cities and counties are weighing a bold idea: let students move straight into senior high school. Could scrapping Zhongkao ease students' academic pressure? And are students, parents, and schools actually ready for such a big change? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun

Why spend 30 minutes watching a video when you can get the key points in three? With AI doing the reading, summarizing and note-taking for us, information is just a few clicks away. For young people juggling classes, work and endless content, that sounds like a dream. But is getting the gist the same as truly understanding a subject? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

Has your morning coffee crept up in price again? Picture an ocean thousands of kilometers away, warming toward what may be the strongest El Niño on record. Are the two connected? Not yet, but that heat could reach the farms behind your coffee, your chocolate, even the rubber in your tires within months. The people working to soften that blow aren't only meteorologists. They're also negotiators and...

Meet Yin Yuzhen, China's pioneering desert fighter and the final honoree on the FAO's 100 Women Heroes list. For 40 years, she has fought desertification, transforming not only the landscape but also the lives of people she has inspired. Among them is American teacher Ronald Salkosky, who reconnected with Yin after more than two decades. What can her story teach us about the power of persistence t...