People to people exchanges are often great contributors to a better understanding between different countries and cultures. In this podcast, we’re going to hear the stories of people who have become bridge builders between different cultures and peoples. We’re going to meet three Europeans: Robert van Gulik, Dutch diplomat, writer and sinologist who wanted to bring the wisdom, the knowledge and the beauty of Chinese culture to the West; Tineke van Gils, one of the best-known Dutch ceramic...

On the east side of the southern part of Beijing’s central axis stands the Natural History Museum of China. Meng Qingjin, the museum's 61-year-old curator, has been with the institution for sixteen years and has personally assembled or recovered many of the exhibits. Join him in today's narrative and learn how generations of Chinese paleontologists and archaeologists converse with fossils from millions of years ago to bring natural history back to life!

Sandor Nagy, a former Hungarian football player, has been living in China for nearly two decades. Following his retirement, he embarked on a new chapter, founding a football club in the coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong Province in east China. His club has since become a beacon for many young football enthusiasts in the region. In this episode of Makin' It in China series, Sandor talks about his football career and his deep connection with his second home in China.

What’s China really like? What are the differences between the business culture in China and elsewhere in the world? Are there any areas that international businesses need to adapt to when entering the Chinese market? Hungarian businessman Steven Back has been running his business in China for 16 years. In this episode of Makin' It in China, he shares with us his experiences in doing business in China and the secret to business success in the country.

​Serbian national Faris Rebronja is an international trader of everyday items and is currently based in the County of Pingyao, Shanxi Province in north China. Having lived in China for five years, the young businessman has gained experience not only in the business world but more importantly has formed his own understanding of the Asian nation. In this episode of Makin’ It in China, Rebronja says he is optimistic about China’s future development and wants to grasp more opportunities the...

​This year as we celebrate the 60-year diplomatic relationship between China and France, we ponder the remarkable fruits of this enduring partnership. What successes have emerged from this collaboration? What is it like for a French firm to flourish and thrive on Chinese soil? In this episode of Makin' It in China, join reporter Liu Yushan in a discussion with Frédéric Barbier, business leader of a French corporation's China division, to hear his first-hand account of the strategies and...

"I am honored to be among the few who have lived to see their works being collected in the Louvre," says Song Dong when sharing pictures of his paintings on social media. The 57-year-old Chinese artist is known for his daring abstract oil paintings and diverse body of works that crosses cultural and national barriers. Song Dong, who has remained close contact with French architects and fashion designers over the years, devised a multi-dimensional art form known as Omni-directional...

Jerry Grey and Ann Liang made their home in south Guangdong province in Zhongshan in 2004. Over the past 2 decades, the couple took on the mission of traveling across China on bicycles and raise fund for local charity works in the city of Zhongshan. Culminating over 35,000 kilometers, they have cycled across the country "from north to south, from east to west, and from west to east," says Jerry. Along their journey, Jerry and Ann have borne witness to history while watching first-hand the...

Blossoms Shanghai is an epic that depicts the profound social and economic transformations that Shanghai saw from the 1960s to the 1990s. Its popularity also brings 91-year-old actor You Benchang back to the spotlight. His supporting role as “Uncle”, a sharp, witty and charismatic business veteran, captivated audience young and old.

​Margaret Chen, originally from China, is a successful businesswoman based in Spain. Over the past several decades, she has been dedicated to promoting economic and cultural ties between the two countries. Having made a name for herself in both Spain and China, Chen says that she has simply been riding the waves of the times.

He is a dreamer. He wants to make his dream car. And he succeeded. In this edition of Footprints we meet Yang Yongxiu, the developer of a famous Chinese car brand and learn his story of making his dream car.

“It is my hope to use the form of a bridge as a symbol of China's commitment to the common prosperity of the world," says Shu Yong, renowned Chinese Modern and Contemporary artist and a member of China's Top political advisory body. Through his artwork and governmental proposals, Shu Yong aims to establish a series of Chinese national cultural symbols to help the world better understand China.

​Chen Huai, in his early 40s, is a renowned ecologist based in the city of Chengdu, southwest China. Over the past two decades, he has devoted himself to the research of wetlands and his findings have helped people better protect the wetlands and biodiversity. Also serving as a member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC, Chen has drawn from his expertise to make suggestions for Chinese authorities to better protect the ecological environment.

"Nowadays, artificial intelligence has become the pinnacle of the current technological and industrial development," says Professor Li Dongni of the School of Computer Science, Beijing Institute of Technology. As a scientific researcher and deputy of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, AI has been a major focus of her teaching, research, and policy suggestions. Hear Li Dongni's perspectives on current AI development, as well as her passion in cultivating the next generation researchers...

Enjoying lanterns is a custom of Chinese New Year celebrations observed nationwide. Xiashi Lanterns are well known for their unique pinholes technique, elegant shapes and vibrant colors. In this podcast, meet Hu Jinlong, master of this unique lantern art from Haining, Zhejiang province.

Yin Qi is an art collector and promoter of a particular genre of traditional Chinese art called Chinese New Year Paintings. Having an experience of almost two decades in the field, Yin takes us to explore the fascinating world of this traditional Chinese folk art to enjoy its beauty, culture and legends.

“I can make my brush travel thousands of miles, or within spitting distance. It’s all in my brushstrokes.” Says 86-year-old Fan Zeng, a contemporary master of traditional Chinese ink and wash painting whose works have received critical acclaim globally. Combining Chinese free-hand ink spattering style with western realistic painting techniques, Fan Zeng weaves aesthetic harmony with his brushstrokes.

​This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Over the past six decades, people from the two countries have developed profound friendship and conducted fruitful cultural exchanges. One of the examples is Xu Rong, who has been promoting a traditional Chinese martial art called Tai Chi in France for nearly 20 years. But what really is Tai Chi? And how has this Chinese woman been promoting it among people who previously knew nothing...

Face changing is an important feature of Sichuan Opera, one of China's oldest regional operas. It is the art of changing vividly colored masks on an opera performer’s face within a split of a second, multiple times. If it’s magical to see how they do it in lightning speed, it becomes unimaginable to see puppets and their puppeteers do face changing at the same time on stage. But to retired Chengdu rod puppet performing artist Wei Zuochun, it’s just something she has always done.

A group of students from University of Virginia, the United States, visited China on a tour of youth exchanges and sports diplomacy in January 2024. Playing ping-pong (table tennis) games with their Chinese counterparts, visiting the Great Wall, and watching Peking Opera, the students are seen as re-enacting the historic 1971 Ping-Pong Diplomacy between China and the United States. Follow Footprints’ reporter Yushan and hear what these U.S. students have to say about their experiences in China.

Forty-nine year-old Zhang Jianna is part of the refuse collection crews working in the bustling embassy area of Beijing. The sanitation worker shot to fame as she turns mundane moments in her work into opportunities for kindness and inspiration. But what has she actually done to make her stand out? Join this edition of Footprints to find out.

​Cen Feng, a veteran railway engineer, is building the world’s longest-span cross-sea dual-use bridge, which will be able to carry both high-speed trains and road vehicles. Being head of the project’s building team, Cen shoulders huge responsibility as the project involves massive engineering complexities and challenges. Over the past 12 months, he and his fellow builders have made steady progress with the project thanks to their diligence, perseverance and creativity.

The Chime Bells of Marquis Yi, a set of well-tuned carillon of sixty-five bronze bells unearthed in today’s Hubei province, is considered one of the most astonishing archaeological discoveries in recent history. How does this ancient instrument sound like? And how does it feel to play the 2,400-year-old giant musical instrument? As one of very few who had played music on the famed chime bells, Tan Jun knows the answers to all these questions.

22-year-old Cen Huaxiu is a fourth-year Vietnamese undergraduate student. She is presently studying Chinese at Zhejiang University, but her interest extends beyond the language. Growing up immersed in traditional Chinese cartoons and stories, Cen Huaxiu is profoundly drawn to Chinese culture and intends to pursue her dream of establishing a career in China while fostering friendships that transcend borders.

​For nearly two decades, Chen Zhenghua has been riding on a wave of the boom of Chinese online literature, which includes fantasy novels, sci-fi, history, and other kinds of writings. His signature online novel Sword Snow Stride, which has been adapted into various cultural products, has brought him fame and fortune. Now having succeeded with domestic readers, Chen intends to bring his novels to the global market and he is confident international readers will also be drawn to the distinct...