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
Jan 30, 2026 • 25min
Knit happens: the stitching comeback
A revival of knitting among Gen Z and millennials becomes a viral cultural trend with livestreams, meetups, and DIY designer fashion. Discussion of knitting as craft, micro-economy, and a stress-relief practice during commutes and at work. Short takes on wedding e-invites, privacy trade-offs, micro-shifting work rhythms, and subways turning into lifestyle and shopping spaces.
7 snips
Jan 30, 2026 • 28min
Is trying the new buying?
They explore a growing trial economy where try-before-you-buy and sample culture turn stores into showrooms. Different formats like in-store tastings, try-at-home policies, and platform integrations get compared. The discussion covers costs, fraud risks, return abuse, and how clearer standards and trust could fix trial pitfalls.
8 snips
Jan 29, 2026 • 25min
When weather forecasts become financial forecasts
A look at a new AI that links weather forecasts to stock moves and why storm warnings trigger preemptive selling. Discussion of how weather hits companies directly or via investor panic and what firms do to limit market damage. A separate segment explores why starting intense workouts can feel harmful, how immune responses shift, and why recovery and balance matter for long-term benefits.
10 snips
Jan 29, 2026 • 28min
Can China pass the winter energy test?
A deep look at how China’s winter surge in heating and industry strains the power system. Contrasts between cold north centralized heating and fragmented southern solutions. Debates over shifting fuels from coal to gas and scaling renewable reliability. Ideas for using waste heat, geothermal pilots, smarter grids, long-distance transmission and vehicle-to-grid storage.
16 snips
Jan 28, 2026 • 22min
Step into the subway multiverse
A look at how Chinese subway stations are being reinvented as underground shopping, sports and cultural hubs. Discussion of new retail concepts like in-station supermarkets and creative uses such as markets and play courts. Exploration of the financial pressures driving these makeovers and the safety and planning challenges they create. A separate segment examines the hidden dangers of third-hand smoke and its lingering health risks.
24 snips
Jan 28, 2026 • 30min
Say goodbye to algorithmic price discrimination
They dig into how platforms use browsing, device and purchase history to set secret personalized prices. They describe cases from hotels to rides where loyalty or account signals led to higher charges. They explain new rules from China and New York that force transparency and ban undisclosed price differences. They explore consumer workarounds, legal cases and the limits of regulation.
75 snips
Jan 27, 2026 • 28min
Your next vacation is a micro-vacation
Short, frequent micro-vacations as a new travel trend for busy urban workers. Local routes and themed towns where visitors wear Hanfu and step into staged historical scenes. Practical design ideas for accessible, beautiful short breaks. A one-stop travel app that handles payments, transit, translation and maps to make spontaneous trips effortless.
31 snips
Jan 27, 2026 • 25min
Your time vs. the company clock
A debate over micro-shifting and whether short, flexible work bursts can replace rigid schedules. Discussion of how split work blocks fit childcare, errands, and daily life. Examination of productivity claims, four-day workweek results, and risks like extended workdays. A focus on fairness: who gains flexibility and who is left behind.
Jan 26, 2026 • 22min
Beware the wedding e-invite!
A deep dive into why Beijing streets look like a sea of black down jackets and what practicality, weather and culture have to do with it. A playful look at how digital wedding invites track views, RSVPs and forwards. Discussion of how click-tracking turns casual curiosity into social pressure and reshapes privacy and expectations.
39 snips
Jan 26, 2026 • 30min
The business of social anxiety
Digital life is reshaping public behavior in China. The rise of curated solo dining and private booths turned loneliness into a trendy comfort. Businesses now profit from products and services designed for solitary customers. Tech, AI companions and self-service models are changing how people seek company and privacy in public spaces.
