The Bridge to China

China held its annual Science Fiction Convention in Beijing’s Shougang Park. Chinese sci-fi story telling is stratospheric with new movies like The Wandering Earth II, Moon Man, and the TV series based on the book The Three-Body Problem. What is the past, present, and the future of science fiction in China? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Which careers are safer from the obsolescence created by AI? A new research by Goldman Sachs shows that three skill sets are most likely to keep you relevant in the age of robots and generative art and text. We look expert opinions on how you can hedge your career in today's rapidly changing job market. Jason and Beibei debate the merits of the newest disruptive tech. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

Here comes a new trend in the west with ancient Chinese roots: taking a month for the mother to heal and to bond with the new baby. An article on CNN in May identifies the new modern shape of China’s tradition of a new mother taking time off in cozy comfort with support from family and hired help, with fancy herbal brews and massages thrown in to boot. How does the ancient tradition of ‘Zuo Y...

We interview a Jamaican about her journey into Wuhan to get a medical degree. She discusses the application process, financing, campus life and how to make new friends. We ask her about how she lived through the pandemic and how her community came together. Have you ever thought of studying abroad? Dr. La-Shawn Levy can offer you some insights that may change your life. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

Elon Musk and the New York Times had a fight in front of the Twitter world about paying for social media? From April 1st, ‘legacy blue ticks’ have been removed. Blue Verifications cost about 8 dollars and Gold cost a whopping 1,000 US dollars a month. Will wielding influence become a game the world’s wealthy only? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Fed keeps raising interest rates. We take a look at some of the advice being given in the financial world. Why has the Fed been raising interest rate? What is the Fed? Why doesn’t China suffer from inflation? And, can foreigners invest in Chinese stocks? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Mother’s Day. New research suggests men are doing less to keep the home clean and tidy. Beibei, a mother, and Jason, not, take time to reflect on who is doing more work around the home. Have traditional gender roles been frozen in time? What does it take to get men to chip in? And are men and women around the world doing their part? This one is for moms everywhere. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

Nico in China has tens of thousands of fans around the world on YouTube. While she has travelled to dozens of countries in multiple continents, she has made China the focus of her channel. We ask her about China, the world and how to make it as an influencer. She explains why she chose China, how she made it with no money and her future plans in Europe. Join us and learn about the world through Ni...

The list of countries trading in currencies other than the dollar is growing by the day. According to Reuters, China is now trading less than half of its global trade in dollars. Bengal is beginning to trade with India in local currencies and the list has grown to include more nations than you might expect. But why? And what does this mean for American financial hegemony? We make the complex easie...

Sir Gilbert Van Kerckhove from Ghent, Belgium, has lived in China for four decades. While working in the country, he led the initiative to build Shanghai’s Line 3 in the 1990s and was involved in the preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. In his book Toxic Capitalism, he shares extensive knowledge on global consumerism and wastage, and how to tackle these challenges. A rec...

The Bridge Podcast goes meta as we invite the hosts of The Honest Drink Podcast to join our show. Jason asks Justin, Howie and Aric about their collective 50 years living in China. What are the best places to visit? How has China changed in their eyes and how have our guests changed with it? Hear four Americans rap about their amazement at the modernity of life in both the US and China. Hosted on...

We are joined by a podcaster, who interviews folks who are making their mark in China. Oscar Fuchs is host of Shanghai's 'Mosaic of China' podcast. We ask him about his show and his time in Germany, Japan, Singapore and China. Beibei and Oscar discuss Chinese philosophy and talk about food. If you need some cultural fun and fabulous insights, this episode will have you laughing and thinking too. H...

Men in Japan and China are entitled up to four weeks of paternity leave, but many don’t take them. US citizens are entitled to neither maternity nor paternity leave, but many would take them if they could. France experienced riots protesting government’s plan to raise retirement age by two more years. On today’s show we examine the complicated global cultures of working and sometimes, not working....

From raging fires to smoldering mountains of trash and plastic oceans, our world feels out of control. Earth Day is here. In this episode we rapid fire the trends and celebrations of earth day from every corner of our globe. Be inspired. Be hopeful. And tune in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest David W. Ferguson has written several original books on contemporary China. His latest book takes a deep dive into the strategies used in China’s successful campaign to end absolute poverty. He has also researched the greening of Beijing and the methods China uses to promote environmentalism. Join us as we interview the editor of the Governance of China about China’s path to moderniz...

A college education used to be part of realizing the American dream for young Americans. But with the crippling Student Loan Crisis, college enrollment in the US is falling faster than any time in recent history. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, fall enrollments in 2010 were 21 million. By 2021, enrollment had fallen by three million to 18 million. Is a university degree...

New technology promises to recycle hundreds of thousands of tons of textiles by 2030. The damage that the fashion industry brings to our planet is beyond belief. What’s at stake? How big is the problem? What can we do to address the problem of fast fashion in 2023? With Earth Day approaching, we take a look at impulse shopping and our unused wardrobe. There is hope, but only if we take a few...

Today’s guest Michael Crook is a British/Canadian who was born in Beijing in 1951 to parents who met in China. Michael grew up on a university campus in Beijing, worked in Chinese factories, and went to university in Britain. Michael helped found the Western Academy of Beijing in 1994. He is also the Chairman of International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (known as...

Statistics show that US police kill "Far more civilians than any other wealthy country." A Colorado sheriff recently received an honorary award after shooting an unarmed man at an elementary school. What's going on in US policing? How do other wealthy nations have such low incidence of policing-related fatalities? Can the US change, and what would it need to do? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

Is the US finally going to enter the High-Speed Rail game? A new article on KTLA says a line will connect a county outside LA with Los Vegas. With Spain, France, Germany, Japan, China and others in the club, we at The Bridge take a look at the global landscape of High Speed Rail, its advantages in using green energy, de-stressing, and easing road congestions. What's the past, present and future of...

As China observes annual Tomb Sweeping Day, we explain the tradition of burning joss money. From China to Amazon, the sacred money is going global. We take you inside the Chinese customs associated with respecting your passed loved ones. China doesn’t have a single set of traditions; we discuss the variety which makes understanding ‘China’ an ongoing exercise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

There are 500,000 kids working in agriculture in the US where “Unlimited Hours” are legal. For more than a century, Americans have fought to limit the work and related dangers that children could legally endure. The latest political trend in some states even weighs the merits of allowing children as young as twelve years old to work. A new law would increase both permissible work hours and the num...

Welcome to the first installment of The Bridge’s “Home Sweet Home, China,” where we show folks how to make China their home. And if you already live here, we have insights for you too. In this episode we’re going to cover how to come to China for work, choosing the right job, negotiating contracts, choosing the right city for you, getting a passport, visa, flights and all the steps you need to tak...

We interview Dr. Tang Xiaoyang, Chair of Department of International Relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing. A highly noted academic luminary on China–Africa economic cooperation, Dr. Tang has published extensively on the Belt and Road Initiative. He also has experiences working at the World Bank, UNDP, USAID, SAIS and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington DC....

Friend of The Bridge and frequent media commentator Fernando Munoz Bernal joins us. Hailing from Colombia, Fernando has lived in China for more than 20 years and was made an "honorary citizen" by the city of Dongguan. We discuss his journey through China by electric RV, how China's COVID policy saved lives, where to charge your EV on a road trip, and more. Want the truth about China and COVID? Thi...