Round Table China

Seven gourds, one grandpa, and the price of going viral

It begins in a quiet corner of Shaoxing, on a balcony full of gourds, with an old man happy to wave at whoever shows up. It starts as the kind of story that makes you smile. Then the crowds get bigger...

2026-09-14

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Generation Global EP8: Cooling Vests

In 45-degree heat, air conditioning is a luxury millions can't reach, so researchers at the Beijing Institute of Technology are building something you wear instead. Round Table's Yushan sits down with...

2026-09-14

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When being heard becomes a business

Across China, people are paying strangers for what friends used to give for free — a listener to vent to, or someone to offer custom compliments and rebuild confidence. Maybe connection isn't the prob...

2026-09-11

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From disaster simulation to real-life preparedness

Paying to get knocked around by fake hurricane winds. Wading through a flooded garage that's dry on the other side. Getting swept up in a man-made torrent. It sounds like something to avoid — until yo...

2026-09-11

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CIFTIS 2026: when services and technology meet the city

The most interesting developments at this year's China International Fair for Trade in Services may be happening outside the venue. Beijing's western districts now have new waterfront spaces, routes a...

2026-09-10

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Generation Global EP7: What BRICS means for you

BRICS is meeting in India this week, and the group has grown well beyond its original five economies. Trade, technology, climate and jobs keep expanding the agenda, but a simpler question lingers: doe...

2026-09-10

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IN VIDEO: The 60,000 km path to discovery

China's highways were once built for function alone. But a new 60,000-kilometer national plan is now tailoring routes specifically for road trips, threading together the Great Wall, the Yellow and Yan...

2026-09-09

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The Soapbox: the ninety-minute lunch uproar

A bank in Hubei decided to close for ninety minutes each afternoon so staff could take a proper break. The public response was anything but calm. Office workers scrambled, elderly customers voiced fru...

2026-09-08

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Shenzhen's school uniforms back in focus

The back-to-school season has long meant overpriced uniforms and endless waiting, but Shenzhen offers a different model. Parents buy standard school shirts at corner stores, supermarkets, or through d...

2026-09-08

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Freshmen, friends, and the fear of fitting in

A new generation just arrived on campus, and they are rewriting the rules of friendship. They scroll with confidence but clam up in person. They crave connection, yet keep everyone at arm's length. Fr...

2026-09-07

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The subway that erases provincial borders

You live in one city and work in another, and the only thing standing between you and your desk is an hour long crawl through traffic, until now. Beijing's newest subway line does not stop at the city...

2026-09-07

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The 2026 gray zone of modern romance

In a relationship, we used to know what crossed the line. Now it is a hidden text, a dating app you are still on, or a friend your partner has never heard of. A new survey of 2,000 people reveals just...

2026-09-04

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The 60,000 km path to discovery

China's highways were once built for function alone. But a new 60,000-kilometer national plan is now tailoring routes specifically for road trips, threading together the Great Wall, the Yellow and Yan...

2026-09-04

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The internet cafe 2.0

The old internet cafe is dead. Dim lights, sticky floors, and cheap instant noodles are gone. In their place are sleek lounges with premium seating, gourmet food, private pods, and showers. These new ...

2026-09-03

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Train hard, heal harder

We are more active than ever, but our bodies are paying the price. A fitness boom is fueling a massive surge in sports rehabilitation, from boutique clinics to high-tech recovery tools. The business o...

2026-09-03

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IN VIDEO: Where East meets the Arab world

China and Egypt, two ancient civilizations, share deep cultural and historical roots. Today, a new generation is building on that foundation through culture, business, trade, and technology. CGTN podc...

2026-09-03

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Generation Global: where East meets the Arab world

China and Egypt, two ancient civilizations, share deep cultural and historical roots. Today, a new generation is building on that foundation through culture, business, trade, and technology. Round Tab...

2026-09-02

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The CD comeback: a feel-good music industry story

Vinyl gets all the attention, but CDs are actually the ones growing faster, and it's not nostalgic collectors buying them. It's a generation that grew up streaming everything and never owned a CD play...

2026-09-01

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When science class gets real

Forget the textbook. This fall, science class in China begins outside, where students are running real experiments, hitting real dead ends, and rethinking their approach when things do not go as plann...

2026-09-01

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China Finds: how a compass shapes a culture

In Chinese, the cardinal directions are woven into everyday language in ways that often go unnoticed. Ordinary expressions carry traces of an older worldview, one that assigned meaning to every point ...

2026-08-31

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Round Table China

Episodes (400 episodes)

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