Round Table China

China Plus

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 ezfmroundtable@foxmail.com. Let the fun begin!

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38 episodes
Avg 28 min
English

Episodes 38

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Friday · 17 min
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 are still working to pinpoint the true cause. Is it...
Friday · 34 min
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 popularity is a clear sign of changing perceptions, but the...
Thursday · 21 min
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. Parents see it as a way to get a head start, while...
Thursday · 30 min
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 attract these one-person companies with real...
Tuesday · 18 min
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 corners of the world, reading is surging. Maybe the...
Tuesday · 34 min
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 motion, there is a stumble, a missed grip, or a kick...
Monday · 21 min
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. It is about who gets to use it, who takes offense,...
Monday · 30 min
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 has rushed in to meet the demand. At the same time,...
August 21 · 54 min
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 masters are suddenly losing their status as new...
August 20 · 57 sec
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 schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to...
August 19 · 15 min
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 a fun escape, but something deeper is happening...
August 19 · 36 min
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, and a little bit of courage. The...
August 18 · 20 min
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 before anyone asks. That same...
August 18 · 31 min
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 safer care and relief for...
August 17 · 22 min
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 and social feeds, but is there...
August 17 · 29 min
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 arrivals already this year, tech...
August 14 · 1 hr 3 min
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. The solution came from 20,000 dead...
August 14 · 54 min
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. The solution came from 20,000 dead...
August 13 · 18 min
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 they just want their children to...
August 13 · 34 min
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 performance all play a part....

Showing 1–20 of 38 episodes