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!

Play

Open in

51 episodes
Avg 28 min
English

Episodes 51

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

August 24 · 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....
August 12 · 57 sec
A short 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 11 · 18 min
Wheels up for Beijing's e-bike scene!
Shared bicycles took over China's streets years ago. Their electric cousins? Not so welcome. City officials kept them out over safety worries, parking chaos, and the belief that public transit already had short trips covered. That stance just cracked...
August 11 · 34 min
New era for self-driving safety begins
China just introduced new national safety standards for autonomous vehicles. Under these rules, automakers are now required to maintain safety oversight throughout the entire lifecycle of the car, not just at launch. That shift changes who is...
August 10 · 18 min
Ready for your coolcation?
Across China, more and more people are leaving their cities behind for a few days or even an entire month, trading crowded streets and sweltering heat for mountain villages and northern retreats where summer feels mild and manageable. Local towns are...
August 10 · 33 min
What open source AI means today
Powerful AI used to belong to a handful of tech giants, but that's no longer the case. Today, anyone can download, tinker with, and build on these models, and that shift is reshaping everything from how apps are made to who controls the technology in...
August 7 · 54 min
China's return as a global study hub
A thousand years ago, scholars from across Asia made their way to China to study governance, science, and philosophy. Some even sat for the imperial exams alongside local students. That era eventually faded, and for decades, studying abroad meant one...
August 6 · 17 min
Abandoned mines, cooler homes
We all reach for the AC when temperatures soar past 35 degrees. But in one Chinese city, residents are trying something different. In Xuzhou, homes are being cooled with cold water pumped from an abandoned coal mine deep underground. No hot exhaust on...

Showing 21–40 of 51 episodes