For years, Chinese-foreign cooperative programs were seen as backup options for students who missed their top choice universities. Inflated tuition fees only fueled the perception that families were buying degrees from easy schools. But attitudes are changing. These programs are raising their game with cutting-edge majors and better quality. So are they finally shedding that reputation, and is the dual degree now worth the price? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun
New rules for China's "flying" doctors
09/07/2026 | 27 min
For years, China's "Fei Dao" system let rural hospitals fly in top city surgeons for a few thousand yuan extra. It saved lives, but it was a legal gray zone. Now new rules mandate hospital-to-hospital payments and establish clear rules on who pays when things go wrong. Will these changes ultimately drive away the very specialists who made the system work in the first place? On the show: Fei Fei, Steve & Yushun
Do you need a 3D printer?
08/07/2026 | 24 min
Chinese malls are rolling out something new: 3D printing stations that let anyone design and print a custom object in under ten minutes. It's easy to dismiss as a fun distraction, but there's a serious push to bring this technology into our homes. The real question isn't about how well the machines work, but whether we'd use one if we had it. / How safe is your delivery meal (17:09)? On the show: Steve, Yushan & Ding Heng
Robo-students are off to school
08/07/2026 | 28 min
We send kids to school for reading, math, and the occasional history class snooze. But what if the students are made of circuits and steel? In Hangzhou, a school just welcomed humanoid robots as its newest pupils. As machines get smarter, building them is only half the battle. They might need a curriculum, too. On the show: Steve, Yushan & Ding Heng
Can ancient hacks beat modern heat?
07/07/2026 | 18 min
We are in the thick of summer, cranking the AC and reaching for anything cold. But for thousands of years, people survived blazing heat without a single modern convenience. China's traditional playbook was full of clever, low-tech fixes that kept things bearable. As temperatures keep rising, can these ancient hacks actually be smarter than our energy-guzzling gadgets? / Can you wear last year's sunscreen (12:29)? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
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