Round Table China

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 connections across friends, family, and even AI companions. Is this shift creating loneliness or a more honest way to connect? / Heart to Heart - please send your emails audio questions to roundtablepodcast@qq.com (11:56). On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 village stays, and hands-on cultural activities that leave a lasting impression. Why is tourism shifting from sightseeing to genuine connection, and how are cities and rural communities adapting to meet this new demand? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 home for school and work, building those bonds is often the hardest part. So what makes some places easier to call home than others? / A dead appliance. A knock on the door. For millions of people living alone in China, that moment can trigger more anxiety than the repair bill ever could. But when the person on the other side is a woman, something changes. All-female repair crews are quietly winning over customers across the country. Not because they fix things faster, but because they bring a sense of ease that starts before they even step inside (35:14). On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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 home for school and work, building those bonds is often the hardest part. So what makes some places easier to call home than others? / A dead appliance. A knock on the door. For millions of people living alone in China, that moment can trigger more anxiety than the repair bill ever could. But when the person on the other side is a woman, something changes. All-female repair crews are quietly winning over customers across the country. Not because they fix things faster, but because they bring a sense of ease that starts before they even step inside. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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 stumped the world for generations, including one unsolved for over a century. Two opposite paths led to the same summit on one historic night. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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, and the results are showing up in kitchens everywhere. We dig into what a single moldy clove reveals about a changing planet, and what it means for the food on all our plates. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 has won one of China's most prestigious literary awards. Not in spite of his job, but because of it. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 voting with their wallets, and the results are not quite what anyone expected. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to revisit our past episodes. Thanks for your patience, and see you tomorrow!

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 journalist with a press card and an AI that got it dangerously wrong. Have we stopped questioning the machine? / Vinyl is alive and kicking (16:20)! On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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, that extraordinary legacy has earned Jingdezhen a spot on UNESCO's World Heritage List. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 more than a museum ticket. They're choosing destinations not just by what's on the postcard, but by how welcome they feel. / What if your TV could follow you from room to room? That's the reality taking shape in China right now, thanks to something called the "bestie screen." This isn't sci-fi. It's the next chapter in how we consume content. / Heart to Heart. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun.

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 more than a museum ticket. They're choosing destinations not just by what's on the postcard, but by how welcome they feel. / What if your TV could follow you from room to room? That's the reality taking shape in China right now, thanks to something called the "bestie screen." This isn't sci-fi. It's the next chapter in how we consume content. / Heart to Heart. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun.

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 much lower price tags. So what changed, and have diners' expectations changed along with the price? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Xingyu

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 of their control. Now Suzhou is integrating traffic signal data with delivery platforms, so the countdown pauses when riders wait at intersections. Will this change be enough to alleviate the anxiety riders feel about late deliveries? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Xingyu

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 schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to revisit our past episodes. Thanks for your patience, and see you tomorrow!

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 longer guarantees instant gratification. Was the binge a revolution or a fleeting moment? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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. But the brochures leave something out. The real story isn't just what they bring to the countryside. It's what they bring back. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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. Because in a hospital, rest and recovery don't always play nice. / Watch out for Sanfu in summer (13:24)! On the show: Steve, Yushan & Xingyu

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 expected. As AI becomes more capable, the challenge is no longer just building smarter machines. It's building the trust, safeguards and governance to keep pace. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Xingyu

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 physicians a powerful backup tool. This is not about replacing doctors. It is about giving them on?demand access to an AI second opinion that never sleeps. On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

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 quick sip into a full?fledged shopping experience. It is affordable, convenient, and rapidly becoming the norm! / Are personality tests picking the best hires (09:14)? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

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 escaping the heat. It is about changing tastes, rising prices, and a generation that views indulgence differently. / When was the last time you updated your social media profile photo (18:40)? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

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? Can an all-electric future really work on the road, with charging, grid strain, and a massive mindset shift all in play? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushan

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 space and how often. / Would you send your doggy to doggy daycare (14:32)? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

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 silence as various companies have shut down the AI characters people built, talked to, and even fell in love with. When that digital voice fades to nothing, are you just clearing storage, or are you losing someone who mattered? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

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 "authentic" story, is it still genuine? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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 released Tsinghua University report questions if all the bans and regulations have helped to make things better. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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 that script, letting guests keep their room for a full twenty-four hours from check-in. Travelers love the idea. Yet for hotels, the reality is more complicated. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Gasoline drivers have long funded roads through fuel taxes, while electric vehicles have contributed nothing. But with six in ten new cars in China now running on batteries, that old system is cracking. The debate is no longer about whether EV owners should pay, but about what happens to road infrastructure if they don't. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

What happens when the movies are no longer the main attraction? Across China, cinemas are reinventing themselves as all-in-one entertainment destinations, hosting everything from live sports and concerts to gaming, cafés, and restaurants. We explore how the big screen is finding a whole new role. / Are you napping wrong (18:19)? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

Forget traffic jams and parking headaches. In China, the car is becoming more than transportation. From RV campsites and smart mobility hubs to a booming culture of customization, the automotive aftermarket is transforming how people travel, unwind, and connect. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

For years, Chinese-foreign cooperative programs were seen as backup options for students who missed their top choice universities. Inflated tuition fees only fueled the perception that families were buying degrees from easy schools. But attitudes are changing. These programs are raising their game with cutting-edge majors and better quality. So are they finally shedding that reputation, and is the dual degree now worth the price? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

For years, China's "Fei Dao" system let rural hospitals fly in top city surgeons for a few thousand yuan extra. It saved lives, but it was a legal gray zone. Now new rules mandate hospital-to-hospital payments and establish clear rules on who pays when things go wrong. Will these changes ultimately drive away the very specialists who made the system work in the first place? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun

Chinese malls are rolling out something new: 3D printing stations that let anyone design and print a custom object in under ten minutes. It's easy to dismiss as a fun distraction, but there's a serious push to bring this technology into our homes. The real question isn't about how well the machines work, but whether we'd use one if we had it. / How safe is your delivery meal (17:09)? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Ding Heng

We send kids to school for reading, math, and the occasional history class snooze. But what if the students are made of circuits and steel? In Hangzhou, a school just welcomed humanoid robots as its newest pupils. As machines get smarter, building them is only half the battle. They might need a curriculum, too. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Ding Heng

We are in the thick of summer, cranking the AC and reaching for anything cold. But for thousands of years, people survived blazing heat without a single modern convenience. China's traditional playbook was full of clever, low-tech fixes that kept things bearable. As temperatures keep rising, can these ancient hacks actually be smarter than our energy-guzzling gadgets? / Can you wear last year's sunscreen (12:29)? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

China reshaped the global auto industry with electric cars. Now it is targeting the heavy-duty trucks that move the world's goods. But truckers respond to hard numbers, not hype. If the math works, the price of everything from groceries to gadgets could drop. Will China pull off the same magic twice? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

The average worker spends more than an entire workday each week in meetings. Calendars are overflowing, focus is fractured, and meaningful work keeps getting pushed aside. Meetings are necessary at times, but the real question is whether we are simply holding too many or whether we have forgotten what a good one actually looks like. / Do you need more oxygen (18:28)? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

China is turning eldercare into a licensed occupation. A new national certification is formalizing the workforce that will shape how millions of seniors are cared for. This is not about expanding beds or abstract policy. It is about who delivers care, how they are trained, and what that means for the future of growing old in China's cities. On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

You know that nagging feeling that follows you through the day: what if a sixty-second mental move could dissolve it? Behavioral scientists have uncovered a practice called mental subtraction. It's not about positive thinking. It's a subtle repositioning that lets relief surface on its own. Will it work for you? / Burgers, burgers everywhere (15:30). On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu

Older cities are facing a new question, where preserving buildings and streets is no longer enough. Across China, historic neighborhoods are becoming living spaces where people don't just observe the past but actually experience it. So when ancient streets meet a new generation, what is it that makes young people want to stay? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Xingyu