Round Table China
China Plus
300 episodes
Round Table is a premier English radio/podcast show, straight from Beijing. Hear what's buzzing on the Internet and the main streets, see the latest lifestyle trends, and feel the pulse of life in China, Round Table is your golden ticket. With dynamic cultural exchanges between hosts from diverse backgrounds, we take you on a journey deep into modern China. We invite you to join our conversation! Shoot us an email or a voice memo at roundtablepodcast@qq.com. Let the fun begin!
Episodes page 3 of 6
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China's 2026 guide to romance
It's Qixi season in China, and love is in the air in ways you might not expect. Couples are celebrating everywhere from city parks to cruise ships, while a new generation is finding connection through apps, algorithms,…
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Kids, chores, and why dad doesn't see the laundry
You ask your kid to help clean up and they look around like there's nothing to do. It's not attitude, but a glimpse into something researchers call cognitive labor, the invisible load of noticing what needs to be done…
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Smart wards, big questions
Step inside the hospital of the near future, where smart pumps track supplies, beds monitor movement, and AI helps flag risks before they escalate. These intelligent wards are becoming a reality across China, promising…
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The Soapbox: 20-5-3 Rule
How much time in nature is actually enough? The 20-5-3 framework claims to have the answer. It breaks down ideal outdoor time into daily, monthly, and yearly targets. The rule keeps reappearing across wellness articles…
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China's hot new tourist draw is tech
Forget the Great Wall and the pandas. This summer, millions of travelers are flooding into China for something entirely different. Instead of ancient history, they're chasing the future. With over 22 million foreign…
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A second serve: how used tennis balls come back to life
What if the thing you toss without thinking outlasts you by four centuries? That is the tennis-ball problem. Millions of them, every year, destined for centuries in a landfill. But in Qingdao, they have found a fix.…
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IN VIDEO: How used tennis balls come back to life
What if the thing you toss without thinking outlasts you by four centuries? That is the tennis-ball problem. Millions of them, every year, destined for centuries in a landfill. But in Qingdao, they have found a fix.…
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Summer homework's hidden weight
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…
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Why is it still so hard to take a vacation?
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…
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A short pause
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…
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Wheels up for Beijing's e-bike scene!
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…
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New era for self-driving safety begins
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.…
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Ready for your coolcation?
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…
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What open source AI means today
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…
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IN VIDEO：China's return as a global study hub
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…
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China's return as a global study hub
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…
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Abandoned mines, cooler homes
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…
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The fun of National Fitness Day
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…
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Latest schedule update
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…
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Why China's railways won't take your kids alone
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…
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Drawing the line on cyberbullying
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.…
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SOAPBOX: Are young people bad at socializing?
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…
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Summer travel ditches the bucket list
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…
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What makes a city feel like home?
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…
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IN VIDEO: What makes a city feel like home?
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…
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China's Fields Medal first
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…
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Moldy garlic is trying to warn you
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,…
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China Finds: poetry in motion
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…
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Summer cinema's surprising new favorites
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…
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Show schedule update!
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…
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The Soapbox: when AI lies
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…
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The clay that conquered the world
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,…
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IN VIDEO: What stays when the postcard fades?
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…
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What stays when the postcard fades?
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…
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The big buffet comeback
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…
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The red light delivery revolution
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…
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Quick update
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…
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Are we done with binge watching?
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…
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City students, rural lessons
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.…
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Soapbox: The 5 AM hospital wake-up call debate
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.…
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The delicate balance of governing AI
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…
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Encore: Closing the care gap with AI
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…
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Encore: Milk tea shops turn mini mart
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…
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The ice cream identity crisis
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…
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Hainan bans gas car sales
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?…
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The $50 million throwaway problem
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…
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Digital friend or digital file?
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…
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One traveler, one taxi ride, 21 million likes
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…
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Did the social media crackdown work?
Every generation worries about what young people do with their time, but today's screens are designed to never let go. As a result, governments stepped in with various measures to solve the problem. Now a newly…
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Tick tock goes the checkout clock
For decades, hotels worldwide have followed the same rule. Check in after two in the afternoon, check out before noon the next day. Most travelers never question it. But some Chinese hotel chains are now tearing up…
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