Chat Lounge

As the Beijing International Film Festival takes over the city, films are no longer just something we watch in cinemas. They’re connecting tourism, retail, entertainment, and even cutting-edge tech. What does this “film plus” experience look like for audiences today? And as AI reshapes the film industry, what opportunities and challenges lie ahead? Host Xu Yawen spoke with Li Lun, assistant...

From AI-powered glasses to flying cars and next generation of humanoid robots, companies from home and abroad have gathered in China’s Hainan province for the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), also known as the Hainan Expo. What groundbreaking innovations are featured at the expo? Are these cutting-edge technologies just gimmicks, or will they truly become part of our future...

SMILE, a joint China–Europe satellite, is about to capture something we've never seen before: Earth's magnetic shield in action. What is it trying to do? Why does it matter, and how could it affect your phone, your flight, or even the power grid? And in a divided world, what does this rare space partnership really reveal? Host Tu Yun joins Professor Quentin Parker, the Director of the Lab for...

Since elevating the goal of becoming a "maritime power" in 2012, China has made significant progress. What are the most eye-catching achievements? As the focus shifts from speed to quality, how could China's AI and digital tech edge help reshape the country's traditional maritime sectors? And in a system where a few countries still hold technological and narrative dominance, how can China gain a...

China's consumer spending has shown a noticeable rebound in the first two months of the year. What are the key drivers? Though the performance beat expectations, it remains the weakest start to a year since 2000, excluding the pandemic slump. How much of a concern is this against the backdrop of still-fragile consumer confidence and broader economic headwinds? And as the rise of the "emotional...

Apple is lowering its App Store commission in China, a move believed to be a major concession in one of its most important markets. What's driving the change? How may it affect developers, consumers, and Apple's business model in the country? And could this signal a broader shift in the balance of power between regulators and Big Tech? Host TU Yun joins Professor Doug Guthrie, the Director of...

Global financial giant UBS has downgraded U.S. stocks, as markets stumble into one of their worst starts in decades. Is this a routine reset or a warning shot? Where is capital moving now? Are emerging markets the real story? And with geopolitics heating up and the Fed in play, is this a short-term wobble or the start of a structural shift in global capital? Host Tu Yun joins Warwick Powell,...

China will set up a national-level mergers and acquisitions fund to help venture capital investors find an exit. How urgent is the need? And with cumulative dividends and share buybacks hitting a record high, what does that signal about the reshaping of China’s securities market? Host TU Yun joins Yao Shujie, Chueng Kong Professor of Economics, Chongqing University, John Gong, Professor of...

For the first time, the Global Governance Initiative, a framework for reforming international relations, is set to feature in the recommendations for China’s new Five-Year Plan. This comes as national lawmakers and political advisors prepare to gather in Beijing for the annual “Two Sessions” in the coming days. GGI emphasizes sovereign equality, international law, and multilateralism. It...

Chicago-based financial services company CME Group is reportedly working on a plan to launch the world's first rare earth futures contract. Can the U.S. reshape pricing power without controlling production? What countermove may Beijing take? Will China's dominance in price-setting be diluted? And are we expecting a bifurcated system in the global mineral sector? Host Tu Yun joins Professor Andy...