Round Table China
Society & Culture
About
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
- How fishing reels in China's young generation
This episode of Round Table China discusses fishing's comeback in China, highlighting how a younger generation is engaging with the sport and utilizing smarter fishing gear. It explores the phenomenon through examples like office workers a…
- Is your unpaid internship worth it?
This episode of Round Table China explores the financial implications of unpaid internships and whether the experience is worth the burden. The discussion focuses on the challenges students face when internships become a costly endeavor.
- Encore: Beijing's plan to save the Great Wall
This episode of Round Table China discusses Beijing's new regulations and technological solutions implemented to protect the Great Wall. The discussion focuses on whether these measures can preserve the ancient structure from the impact of…
- Encore: Tradition's tricky digital rebirth
This episode of Round Table China discusses how traditional Chinese brands are navigating the digital landscape, utilizing livestreams and battling algorithms to remain relevant. It examines the challenges and successes of these "old-timer…
- Listening-to-advice marketing
This episode of Round Table China discusses how brands are actively listening to and acting on consumer feedback from online comments, transforming buyers into collaborators. It also touches on memorable childhood umbrellas.
- Navigating China's new college majors
Chinese universities are introducing new majors like agricultural robotics, low-altitude economy management, and brain-computer interfaces to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. Niu Honglin, Fei Fei, and Xingyu discuss this shif…
- Why does a loving boyfriend take ugly photos?
This episode of Round Table China examines 'boyfriend photography,' questioning why, despite efforts to teach partners about photography techniques like angles and lighting, the resulting photos are often still blurry.
- May Day holiday travel snapshot
This episode of Round Table China looks at the May Day holiday travel trends for 2026, noting a shift towards experience-based tourism, including events and cultural consumption, which is reshaping travel decisions and city tourism strateg…
- Generation Global: Navigating a Changing World, Ep. 5
The Yale Whiffenpoofs acappella choir toured China, using singing to connect with people despite language differences. Three members shared their experiences and stories from the journey.
- Your past or your privacy?
The episode questions the extent of background checks, contrasting them with privacy invasion when employers contact former supervisors and colleagues. It considers the implications of refusing such checks.
- Generation Global: Navigating a Changing World, Ep. 4
On China's Youth Day, Round Table's Yushun discussed youth engagement with AI in China with Tsinghua University's AI professor Alex Lamb.
- The Soapbox: Village fashion show
In a unique twist on traditional fashion shows, villagers in China have replaced high fashion with cauliflower. This episode of The Soapbox on Round Table China features hosts Steve, Fei Fei, and Yushan discussing this unconventional event.
- Radio Drama: Bathing
"Bathing" is a radio drama about a 24-year-old tech worker who leaves her job to wash strangers. The episode, released on International Workers' Day, focuses on the dignity of unseen labor.
- How AI is rewriting the rules of work
This episode of Round Table China discusses how AI is reshaping the future of work and the value of human skills in an increasingly automated world. Experts Fei Fei, Niu Honglin, and Steve share insights on job displacement and unexpected…
- Imperfect is the new perfect
A Chinese reality show is testing the idea that perfection might be boring by embracing unfiltered authenticity. The episode discusses the cultural shift from valuing perfection to appreciating relatable imperfections, featuring hosts Stev…
- May Day travel isn't what it used to be
The May Day holiday reveals changed travel patterns, with booking trends and flight maps showing a different story this year. Accessible tourism and a focus on safety are giving people the confidence to explore the country on their own ter…
- The midweek work break
The podcast discusses the emerging trend of young professionals taking midweek breaks, deviating from the traditional weekend recovery model. It also touches upon the topic of viral diets.
- Zero tariffs, big opportunities
China's move to eliminate tariffs on imports from 53 African nations highlights its commitment to global openness and partnership, impacting international trade and supply chains. The episode features Niu Honglin, Steve, and Gao Junya.
- Can staying apart keep you together?
This episode of Round Table China discusses how intentional distance in relationships, with partners living in different cities or homes, is perceived by some as a way to stay together. It questions whether this planned intimacy is the fut…
- Auto China 2026: where the future hits the road
Auto China 2026 in Beijing showcases nearly 1,500 vehicles and over 180 premieres, highlighting trends like next-generation batteries and assisted driving that are reshaping the future of automobiles. Hosts Steve, Fei Fei, and Yushan discu…
- The Soapbox: the sleeping employee
A young woman in southern China protested her low salary by taking a five-hour nap at work. Her actions generated controversy and little online support. The episode features hosts Steve, Yushan & Yushun.
- When the sea becomes the stadium
The Sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya utilized the coastal environment as a venue. The episode discusses how the city was transformed into a sporting stage.
- Bonus Ep: Turning pages, opening stories
This bonus episode of Round Table China features authors Lu Min and Di An reading selections from their books "Dinner for Six" and "Dear Fengmi" as part of a World Book Day series.
- Global demand fueling Chinese online literature growth
China's online literature is a growing economic force, as highlighted by a recent report. The episode also features writer Ren He discussing a resonant book and includes insights from hosts Steve, Yushun, and Yushan.
- AI ride-hailing reinvents the way we move
AI is revolutionizing ride-hailing in China. Platforms now use AI to interpret user requests, such as needing a smooth trip, a stopover, or a car suitable for a child or pet, all through a single sentence.
- The Why: AEDs in Cars
An AED from a car was used by a stranger to save a life. The episode questions why AEDs are not more widely available.
- Where history, technology, and storytelling meet
The Fifth National Reading Conference in Nanchang celebrated books as experiences blending history, poetry, and technology. Writer Lu Min provided a book recommendation.
- When a child teaches grown-ups how to love
Writer Di An discusses her novel 'Dear Fengmi' on Round Table China, exploring themes of love and life lessons through the story of a single mom, a divorced man, and a curious young girl. The episode touches on the meaning of enduring love.
- Tree parenting 101
The podcast discusses a new environmental approach focused on maintaining existing trees rather than just planting new ones, particularly relevant for space-constrained urban environments. Guests include Niu Honglin, Steve, and Yushan.
- Technology's promise, humanity's price
Round Table China features sci-fi writer Chen Qiufan discussing his book “Ocean Break,” which explores themes of AI, technological faith, and the hidden costs of utopian societies. This is part 2 of a series on Chinese authors.
- How AI is redefining the teacher
Teachers in China are evolving from knowledge providers to ethical guides as AI takes on tasks like personalized homework, essay grading, and student data tracking in classrooms.
- Read, then roam
This episode of Round Table China celebrates World Book Day with acclaimed Chinese writers. Qi Jinnian discusses her book "Wandering the Hengduan Mountains", the first in a special series.
- Beijing's robot race: fun or future?
Robots recently raced in a Beijing half marathon, competing and stumbling like human racers. The episode discusses whether this event is a fun spectacle or a serious indicator of future technology, and explores the dynamic between humans a…
- It's time for looted art to come home
This episode of Round Table China discusses France's new policy on returning looted colonial-era artifacts and its potential impact on China, which has lost many relics. It also includes a segment on the film 'The Grandmaster' as part of t…
- Can cheaper parking fix congestion?
Steve, Yushan, and Yushun discuss whether new parking policies in Chinese cities, including lower fees and shorter billing increments, will be effective in reducing congestion. The panel evaluates if these changes will resolve parking issu…
- SBTI: The "unhinged" personality test
The viral SBTI personality test, a fast and funny quiz assigning four-letter labels, is discussed on Round Table China. Guests include Niu Honglin, Steve, and Yushun.
- Inside the 16th Beijing International Film Festival
Guests Niu Honglin, Steve, and Yushun discuss the 16th Beijing International Film Festival, specifically focusing on the films All the Good Eyes and Ky Nam Inn as part of the Travel China through film series.
- Bonus Ep: Travel China through film
In this bonus episode of Round Table China, Fei Fei, Steve Hatherly, and Yangyang discuss the intersection of film and travel. They pair the film "Crossing a Dawn" with a real destination, exploring how cinema can transport viewers.
- The rise of living anywhere
The episode discusses the shift away from traditional life paths towards a 'living anywhere' mentality among different demographics. It also features a segment on China's first barbecue university.
- Navigating the AI actor controversy
The episode discusses the emergence of AI actors who are transforming industries and entering the entertainment sector. It covers viewpoints of AI actors being a powerful storytelling tool versus a threat to creativity and livelihoods, fea…
- Encore: Is your grandma a gamer?
The episode discusses the surprising trend of 'Admin Night' and esports in China, where the fastest-growing demographic of gamers are individuals in their 60s and 70s. This phenomenon is creating new opportunities within the silver economy…
- Encore: What makes a house a good house?
Round Table China discusses the evolution of China's housing market, moving from a focus on quantity to an emphasis on quality and what constitutes a 'good house' for a good life.
- Does greatness require suffering?
The episode discusses the common belief that greatness demands sacrifice and struggle, presenting new evidence that questions this notion and ponders the boundary between challenging oneself and causing harm.
- The 6th China International Consumer Products Expo
The 6th China International Consumer Products Expo in Hainan showcased advanced technology like AI translation glasses and robots, alongside green energy and smart logistics, hinting at China's market potential and Hainan's tourism prospec…
- Are you seeing more mosquitoes earlier this year?
This episode discusses the earlier-than-usual appearance of mosquitoes this year, exploring potential links to longer transmission seasons, expanding habitats, and increased disease prevention challenges, with insights from Niu Honglin, Fe…
- China's next phase of E-commerce
China is issuing new policy guidelines to enhance its digital commerce sector's support for the real economy. The initiative aims to improve global logistics, leverage AI, assist exporters, and strengthen ties between e-commerce and tradit…
- From classrooms to kickoffs
The Class Super League is transforming Chinese schools by promoting sports and getting kids active. The episode questions whether football can teach valuable life lessons about failure and also touches upon the topic of pet livestreams.
- Grow from your smartphone
This episode of Round Table China discusses innovative urban farming methods in China, including shared garden plots and 'cloud farming' apps, which enable city residents to grow and receive fresh vegetables.
- China Finds Ep. 2: When ancient grief met modern relief
This episode of Round Table China, titled 'China Finds Ep. 2: When ancient grief met modern relief,' discusses how young Chinese individuals are using ancestral traditions to bridge conversations between the past and present. The show feat…
- The unexpected rise of "City Busing"
The podcast episode discusses the emergence of 'City Busing,' a trend where city buses are repurposed into unique social and entertainment venues, offering experiences such as hot pot dinners and karaoke. Guests Niu Honglin, Yushan, and Yu…