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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114 episodes
Avg 27 min
English

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Yesterday · 39 min
How can public hospitals help solve China's childcare dilemma?
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:...
Yesterday · 21 min
Drink big water, sleep big sleep: the internet's love of naming things
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,...
Thursday · 17 min
China Finds: can tech revive ancient Liangzhu?
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...
Thursday · 34 min
Can AI read health reliably?
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...
Tuesday · 26 min
No coffee, no seat? New café seating rules stir debate
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...
Tuesday · 26 min
Are people taking long-distance buses again?
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...
Monday · 22 min
The Soapbox: when the college allowance gets cut
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,...
Monday · 30 min
Can computing cure disease faster?
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...
October 23 · 37 min
Straight to senior high?
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'...
October 23 · 21 min
Shanshenbu and more: Decoding China's viral buzzwords
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,...
October 22 · 22 min
Why does everything have to be at double speed?
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...
October 22 · 29 min
Could Super El Niño hit your wallet?
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...
October 20 · 24 min
Woman Hero Yin Yuzhen's story
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...
October 20 · 28 min
How China's advanced manufacturing goes global
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...
October 19 · 20 min
Sneakerinas and the slimming of sneakers
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,...
October 19 · 30 min
When wildlife meets city streets
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...
October 16 · 18 min
What are we really buying when we buy bread?
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...
October 16 · 32 min
When a stranger steps in family care
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...
October 15 · 24 min
From vacation to skillcation
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...
October 15 · 27 min
Women shaping rural futures
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...

Showing 1–20 of 114 episodes