Round Table China

Podcast

Round Table China

China Plus

639 episodesen-us
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

Can culture keep you young?

A new study suggests that regular museum visits and theater outings could slow the biological aging process. The idea is enticing because it requires no prescriptions and no gym time. But researchers ...
Aug 28, 202617m

Why does everyone suddenly want to go to trade school?

China's top Gaokao scorers are now choosing vocational undergraduate programs over elite universities, drawn by higher starting salaries and job security in an automated economy. The surge in populari...
Aug 28, 202634m

Do you "pre-prepare" your kids for school?

A two-month summer break sounds like freedom. But for many children in China, it comes with a new set of assignments: previewing lessons, completing workbooks, and preparing for the semester ahead. Pa...
Aug 27, 202621m

One-person companies, small-town dreams

Solo founders are leaving China's biggest cities for county towns, where the cost of living is a fraction of what they paid. AI has made location less relevant, and smaller counties are wroking to att...
Aug 27, 202630m

IN VIDEO: Why China is scrapping its titles

<p>For years, a shouted slogan at one of China's most popular restaurant chains made a single chef a household name. Then this summer, it disappeared overnight. Across industries, thousands of so-call...
Aug 26, 20261h 1m

Is reading dying? Spoiler: it's complicated

The obituaries for reading are written every week. Young people scroll past books, grades dip, professors mourn a lost age of deep thought. But the data refuses to cooperate with the gloom. In some co...
Aug 25, 202618m

The second World Humanoid Robot Games

At the World Humanoid Robot Games, machines run, dance, fight, and even play football. The spectacle is futuristic, but watching them compete is as awkward as it is impressive. For every graceful moti...
Aug 25, 202634m

The Soapbox: Are you a "Lao Deng" yet?

A single word, a former boss, and a social media post that changed everything. What started as a personal grievance quickly turned into a legal fight, but the real story is not about the word itself. ...
Aug 24, 202621m

The story of your ice cup

The ice cup market in China is heating up in more ways than one. As consumers develop a taste for clearer, slower melting ice in their iced coffee and other chilled beverages, a wave of new players ha...
Aug 24, 202630m

Master of none: why China is scrapping its titles

For years, a shouted slogan at one of China's most popular restaurant chains made a single chef a household name. Then this summer, it disappeared overnight. Across industries, thousands of so-called ...
Aug 21, 202654m

A moment to 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 sche...
Aug 20, 20260m

Lights, camera, YOU!

A working film set opens its doors to the public, and the result is more than just a quirky day out. Visitors suit up, follow a director's lead, and walk away with their own short film. It feels like ...
Aug 19, 202615m

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...
Aug 19, 202636m

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...
Aug 18, 202620m

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 acros...
Aug 18, 202631m

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...
Aug 17, 202622m

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 ...
Aug 17, 202629m

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 ha...
Aug 14, 202654m

IN VIDEO: How used tennis balls come back to life

<p>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...
Aug 14, 20261h 3m

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 o...
Aug 13, 202618m