Round Table China

The obituaries for reading are written every week. Young people scroll past books, grades dip, professors mourn a lost age of deep thought. But the data refuses to cooperate with the gloom. In some corners of the world, reading is surging. Maybe the problem is not that reading is dying, but that we are looking for it in all the wrong places. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

At the World Humanoid Robot Games, machines run, dance, fight, and even play football. The spectacle is futuristic, but watching them compete is as awkward as it is impressive. For every graceful motion, there is a stumble, a missed grip, or a kick that goes nowhere. Each failure reveals exactly where the technology falls short, and that is precisely what makes these games valuable. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

A single word, a former boss, and a social media post that changed everything. What started as a personal grievance quickly turned into a legal fight, but the real story is not about the word itself. It is about who gets to use it, who takes offense, and why a generation that once mocked the old guard now finds itself sounding just like them. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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, Chinese cooling products are finding their way into international markets, adding another layer of opportunity and pressure. What does it take to compete when the big players start locking down their supply chains, and how are smaller players fighting to survive? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Yushun

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 national rules rewrite who gets to claim expertise. / China's biggest performing arts companies are trading the grand stage for the small screen. Traditionalists worry that something essential gets lost in the shift from theater to algorithm. Supporters see an opportunity to reach audiences who never would have bought a ticket. So what happens when centuries of performance tradition meet the cold logic of the feed (38:20)? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

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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 behind the scenes. As AI produces content faster than ever, this immersive experience is offering a glimpse into where storytelling might be headed next. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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 ancient legend behind Chinese Valentine's Day is rich with meaning, but today young people are writing their own love stories. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

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 divide shows up between partners, often without anyone realizing it, yet there are practical ways to bring everyone onto the same page. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun

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 overstretched staff. But as the technology scales, the real question is how far its benefits will reach and whether every hospital will get to share in the transformation. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun