Round Table China

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. O...

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,...

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 & Yushu...

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 quest...

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...

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 s...

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 &...

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)...

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 & Ni...