Round Table China

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 out. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 Fei, Yushan.

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.

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 generation of scientists? On the show: Steve, 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

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

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 scientists turning distant forecasts into practical protection for the farmers who grow what we depend on. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

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 to change both land and lives? / Would you care about who quietly unfriended you on social media (16:33)? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun

A robot makes your latte in under a minute. A Chinese motorcycle takes on the world's best on the racetrack. At the Canton Fair, these are more than eye-catching innovations. They reflect how Chinese manufacturing is evolving. As Chinese companies move beyond making products to offering complete solutions, how are they stepping up to compete in the global market? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun

Across China, wildlife keeps turning up in places built for people, from shops and streets to parks after dark. The line between the built environment and the natural one is blurring in real time. Why is this happening now, and what is pulling these creatures closer? Is it a sign of environmental progress or the early stage of a collision waiting to happen? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Yangyang

Remember when sneakers looked like tiny cars strapped to your feet? Those chunky soles are still around, but they are now sharing shelf space with something slimmer, softer and surprisingly delicate. Think ballet ribbons wrapped around rubber soles, pale pink mesh and straps that would not look out of place in a practice studio. Is the sneaker world trading bulk for grace because our feet are tired, or because our eyes are? / Is your office air making you ugly(11:02)? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Yangyang

Picture an elderly person standing alone in the lobby of a major Chinese hospital — staring at a check-in machine they've never used, a queue they can't find the end of, a payment screen that only takes a phone they don't have. For you, it's a hospital visit. For them, it's an obstacle course with no map. Now imagine a stranger walks up and plays the role of the son or daughter who isn't there — for a few hours, for a fee. Is that a solution, or a symptom of something bigger? And can family really be rented by the hour? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Junya

Two loaves sit side by side in the bread aisle. They look basically identical — but one says "artisan," one says "traditional," one is frozen, one is "freshly baked," and the labels mean almost nothing. The prices don't make sense. "Fresh" might be the most meaningless word in the bakery. And what's actually inside that beautifully packaged loaf? Bread is simple — buying it isn't. This season, we're finding out what you're really paying for. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Junya

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has honored 100 Woman Farmer Heroes from around the world, including two from China. With 2026 marking the International Year of the Woman Farmer, we bring you their stories and explore how women are making a difference in agriculture, rural communities, and far beyond. On the show: Fei Fei, Yushun & Yushan

Welcome to the skillcation, a holiday built around learning something new. And Gen Z travelers are embracing this trend. So why is Gen Z trading poolside naps for hands-on lessons? And what makes learning a skill part of the vacation experience? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushun & Yushan

A concert proposal meant to be romantic. But instead, it sparked outrage. In Beijing, a couple's onstage engagement blocked fans' views and triggered a viral debate. When does sharing your joy come at someone else's expense? And who gets to draw the line? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

China's electric bikes are everywhere, carrying commuters, deliveries, and even entire families. But new rules are changing who rides them, who sells them, and how they're made. Is the beloved "little electric donkey" still the affordable workhorse we know, or is it heading for a whole new future? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

What if fashion were made to be worn just once? In China, some young travelers are embracing "disposable clothes", cheap outfits designed to look good in photos, not to last. Why is this trend taking off? And what does it reveal about how we shop and what we value? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun

Everyone loves a park. It's an oasis to relax, recharge, and reconnect with nature. How can cities make them both accessible and sustainable? Beyond urban green spaces, China is also building a national park system to protect nature outside of cities. What makes national parks different from the parks in our neighborhoods? What does it take to protect nature on such a vast scale? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Yushun

Round Table presents The Sound of a City, an original audio drama from CGTN Radio. The story is inspired by real cases handled through Beijing's 12345 Citizen Service Hotline.

You've probably scrubbed a pan with one. You could even have worn one on your feet or found it hiding in a skincare product. But the loofah is far more than a bathroom staple. It is the backbone of an industry that spans provinces, employs thousands, and ships products around the world. What does its rise tell us about how rural areas in China is reinventing itself? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yu Bokun.

Long school hours, more screen time and less time outdoors are putting young eyes under pressure. But protecting children's vision may take more than limiting screens. From class breaks and PE to stronger parent-school cooperation, we check on how China is changing daily routines help protect children's sight? On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Xingyu

China's 2026 National Day holiday wasn't just about record crowds and packed trains. It was about where people went: small county towns filled up, concert neighborhoods stayed alive past midnight, and international visitors skipped the landmarks for local crafts and bullet train rides. On the show: Fei Fei, Yushan & Xingyu

As part of our National Day holiday specials, we are bringing you episodes from Ni How Are You. This is a series of cross-cultural conversations exploring how people in China and the United States see, experience, and understand each other. Today's episode brings you a conversation with Zhang Junnan, the translator behind the blockbuster Once Upon a Time in the Middle East, about what gets lost and what survives when humor crosses languages.

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 before anyone asks. That same divide shows up between partners, often without anyone realizing it, yet there are practical ways to bring everyone onto the same page. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

As part of our National Day holiday specials, we are bringing you episodes from Ni How Are You. This is a series of cross-cultural conversations exploring how people in China and the United States see, experience, and understand each other. Today's episode brings you a conversation with Robert Dubrovsky, coach of the baseball team from Cornerstone College in Iowa, and Xia Mofeng, a student from Xi'an Physical Education University, about the game that brought them together.

You nailed the interview. Then came the follow-up: a data analysis, a full presentation, a mock campaign, all unpaid, all before anyone says "you're hired." Turns out most job seekers know this drill. For plenty of them, the real frustration isn't the extra work, it's the silence that follows. So where's the line between proving yourself and getting used? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

As part of our National Day holiday specials, we're bringing you episodes from Ni How Are You. It's a series of cross-cultural conversations exploring how people in China and the United States see, experience, and understand each other. Today's episode brings you a conversation with Elyn MacInnis, founder of the Kuliang Families and Friends Groups, about a little-known chapter in the history of China-US relations.

Imagine paying good money to send your kid somewhere with no Wi-Fi, no electricity, and a whole lot of manual labor, on purpose. That is not a punishment; that is the pitch. It is called "eat bitterness" camp. Are these hardship camps actually building character, or just selling a feeling? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Yangyang.

As part of our National Day holiday special, we are bringing you episodes from Ni How Are You, a series of cross-cultural conversations exploring how people in China and the United States see, experience and understand each other. Today's episode features a conversation with three Yale University students who are members of the Whiffenpoofs, one of the world's oldest collegiate a cappella groups.

For years, shared bikes have made short-distance travel easier in Chinese cities, but they have also brought familiar headaches. This September, regulators moved to fix that. A new national standard for internet-based rental bicycles has been approved, setting out, for the first time in one document, exactly what operating companies must do, from hiring and training staff, to equipping bikes, to how they collect user data, to how they manage parking. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yangyang.

As part of our National Day holiday specials, we're bringing you episodes from Ni How Are You. This is a series of cross-cultural conversations exploring how people in China and the United States see, experience, and understand each other. Today's episode brings you a conversation with Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, about the history of the Flying Tigers and the extraordinary stories of cooperation between Chinese and American people during World War II.

With Mid-Autumn and National Day bookending a rare calendar gap, travelers are pouncing on what might be 2026's biggest escape window. Domestic hotspots are surging, but overseas demand is climbing fast, too. So what is really driving this rush, and where is everybody going to go? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan.

Consider all the small conversations you did not have today. The barista, the neighbor, the colleague you passed without stopping. On their own, each one seems like nothing. Together, they add up to thousands of words that were never spoken, and a new study suggests this is becoming the new normal. So what have we traded away without noticing, and is there any reason to want it back? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Beijing is crawling with a problem you cannot ignore. American white moth caterpillars are raining down from trees, blanketing sidewalks, and turning a simple walk into something close to a nightmare. The city's answer sounds like science fiction. Release hundreds of millions of parasitic wasps and let them do the work. Why has this year's infestation exploded and can this tiny-winged counterattack can actually work? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

The fishing boats are back and the ports are buzzing with fresh seafood heading to market. What you will not see on your dinner plate is the millions of tonnes of aquatic food lost or wasted every year. On September 29, the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, we follow the catch from ocean to table and ask how much of the fish we pull from the sea never actually makes it to our forks. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

Have you ever cried at a song whose words you never understood? That wordless pull toward beauty feels deeply human, yet AI now writes poetry, scores films, and paints portraits that move people to tears. So does it truly feel beauty, or simply mimic everything we've always called beautiful? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

What if the job you'll hold next doesn't exist on any official list yet? In China, that list just grew to include robot trainers, sustainability planners, and even incense-making artisans. Work you never knew existed is now being formally recognized as a legitimate career. The line between a passion project and a profession is thinner than it looks. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

There is something comforting about knowing the moon on September 25th is the same one that has watched over this festival for generations. It will shine down on family dinners and quiet apartments, on people coming home and people who cannot. Life moves, cities change, and we scatter further from where we started, but the moon keeps showing up. So what still makes a Mid-Autumn celebration feel like home, even when home looks different now? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Living on campus has long been a standard part of university life in China, but that is now starting to change. Instead of staying within campus walls, many students are moving into residential buildings, as universities across the country buy or lease existing apartments and convert them into student dorms. For the students, it means perks like balconies and round the clock hot water. For the people already living in those neighborhoods, it is a different story, and the feelings are mixed. So what actually happens when a wave of university students moves in next door? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

In Shanghai this week, the WorldSkills Competition has brought together around 1,400 young competitors from 68 countries. They are repairing cars, programming drones, and working with a level of precision that comes down to half a millimeter. It is the biggest celebration of vocational skills on the planet, and the energy is electric. On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

Deep in the Italian Alps lies a course so punishing that it has broken some of the world's best athletes. This year, it was conquered by Zhao Jiaju, a Chinese runner who once delivered takeout for a living. A year earlier, the same mountains handed him his worst defeat. This time, he did not simply finish the race. He rewrote the record book and became the first non-European ever to win. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

China is pushing harder to remove phones from classrooms, and a new Chongqing regulation marks a notable escalation. Schools there can now ban smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, but this measure sits inside a juvenile crime prevention law rather than an education policy. That raises difficult questions about the link between screen habits and criminal behavior, and whether real evidence justifies the connection. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun