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 roundtablepodcast@qq.com. Let the fun begin!
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
Mentioned books
7 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 21min
Labubu goes to Hollywood
They debate the viral claim that workouts under 30 minutes are worthless and whether small efforts actually matter. They unpack how perfectionism and focus on results can block exercise and explore starting tiny habits for sustainability. Then they dive into the LaBubu craze, a Pop Mart-to-Hollywood film with CGI/live-action plans and creative talent attached.
10 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 32min
AI dominates 2026 spring recruitment
Spring job fairs are being reshaped by a surge in AI roles and sky-high salaries. Big tech drives fierce competition while employers hunt for T-shaped candidates with AI fluency. Nontechnical skills like prompt writing and narrative fit into new hiring needs. Government incentives and rapid industry use-cases are rewriting recruitment mechanics and creating fresh evaluation challenges.
12 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 20min
How a candy connected the world
A crumpled candy wrapper sparks a cross-cultural warming story that travels from a Milan hotel to Dongguan. Conversations about young people reviving traditional markets and the pull of authentic experiences. A debate on textbook-cover rituals and how appearances shape judgment. Urban greening, pollen problems, and the idea that purpose can drift and needs recalibration.
9 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 33min
Petals, profit, and a prosperous path
A lively dive into China’s blossom economy and how flower viewing became a major travel and lifestyle industry. They map which varieties bloom where and how cities brand festivals to boost tourism. Listen for stories about historic flower commerce, modern immersive rural experiences, crowding challenges, and creative combos that stretch the season and revenue.
12 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 22min
China Finds: A zoo before zoos were zoos
A newly uncovered 3,000-year-old complex of captive wild animals at Yinxu reshapes ideas about ancient animal keeping. Archaeological finds and bell-collared juveniles hint at early domestication and long-distance animal networks. Conversations compare ancient practices to modern Chinese zoos, conservation efforts, viral small-scale caretakers, and zoo design that reflects shifting human values toward animals.
26 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 31min
We need to talk about these trees
Spring's yellow dust and runaway pollen are turning cities into sneeze zones. The conversation traces how mass planting of cypress, poplar and other wind-pollinated trees made allergies worse. Practical fixes come up, from pruning and street washing to new species rules and monitoring. Listeners get tips on timing, forecasts and why planting choices from past greening drives still matter today.
34 snips
Mar 18, 2026 • 23min
Pindou: the offline hobby sweeping China
Tiny plastic beads, tweezers and ironing create a trending offline hobby that looks like pixel art. The hosts explore 2D and emerging 3D techniques, tools, time investment and why people find it soothing and social. They also dig into health and environmental concerns around fumes and plastic waste. The conversation pivots to the ritual of wrapping schoolbooks in plastic and its cultural roots.
21 snips
Mar 18, 2026 • 30min
The great wall of wildlife coexistence
Brown bears and wild boars are turning up in towns and even on trains as conservation success pushes wildlife into human spaces. The conversation covers rising human–wildlife conflicts, local mitigation like fences and early warning systems, and new laws and insurance schemes aiming to balance safety with species recovery. Real-world cases highlight tough tradeoffs and creative policy responses.
32 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 19min
Don't like the movie? Here's your refund
A Hangzhou cinema's 20-minute, partial-refund trial and how it could reshape moviegoing. The mechanics and logistics of a 40% same-day refund drawing national attention. Debates over fairness, subjectivity and whether quick exits favor blockbusters over slow, niche or traditional works. Possible spillover into live shows and the risks to artistic vision.
14 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 32min
The return of open-air shopping
Young people are trading screens for noisy open-air ganji markets full of street food, crafts and live performances. The podcast traces ganji history and shows how themed, ticketed markets and viral social posts turned them into leisure hubs. Bargaining culture, influencer clips and cultural shows fuel sales. Hosts also flag risks like rising costs, repetitive stalls and infrastructure strain.
