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Discussion keeps the world turning. This is Roundtable. You're listening to Roundtable with myself, He Yang. I'm joined by Steve Hatherly and Gao Junya in the studio. And Junya, I just realized one thing. You mentioned that there's another podcast where we can find you from time to time. I know you're not a daily show like we are, but you do have some fantastic updates.
almost every week. Could you tell us a little bit more about that? Thank you. I've been working on a podcast on climate-related issues. It's called Climate Watch. And also another one is China-Africa related. It's China-Africa Talk. Yeah. And Junya has spent six years
as our correspondent in Africa, on the African continent. Very cool. Oh, yes. And in previous shows, and I hope on today's show and future shows as well, Junya gets to share, you know, some of the wonderful experiences there. Yes, of course. And I think on the names part, we'll definitely share something special. Yes, that's fantastic. Coming up.
Who knew two wheels could be this cool? Today's cycling scene in China is fierce, fashionable, and full of flex. Whether it's a high-performance bike built for both speed and swagger, or a neon-colored shared bike that gets the job done the
the humble bicycle has officially leveled up. Get ready. We're spinning into a story where cool rides meet hot trends. And how do China's evolving naming trends reflect its social changes? And how do Japanese naming rules compare, limiting what parents can choose? Join us as we explore the fascinating cultural stories behind baby name trends around the world. Our podcast listeners can find us at
Roundtable China on Apple Podcast. Curious about social shifts, tech twists, or the mysteries of life? Let us talk about it. Email us at roundtablepodcast at qq.com. Voice memos always extra love.
And now let's move on to the next topic discussion today. Once the king of the road in China, the humble bicycle didn't disappear with the rise of cars and metro systems. It simply took a quieter role in everyday life. But now bikes are back.
Sleeker, smarter, and with a new attitude. No matter you're riding a high-end carbon fiber bike that could cost more than a small car or a shared bike just to meet your transportation needs, let's talk about how these two-wheeled
vehicles has become both a fitness and a lifestyle statement. We'll also take a look at how the market is changing and why sometimes even the fastest trends have to pump the brakes a bit. Spring and summertime has always been the best time to go cycling. How big is the cycling craze in China?
Yes, and He Yang, Steve, I think you guys have noticed that our office building is along the Chang'an Street, right? It's the main road across Beijing from west to east. And every time, now and then, we've
been seeing cyclists passing by, maybe rushing by. Yeah, because I think it's one of the most famous cycling routes here in Beijing. And actually, it has something to do with... Sorry to interrupt. I did not know that. Really? No, I did not know that. Well, I knew that we are on the street that runs from... Yeah, west side of the city all the way to the east side of the city. It's a really, really long road, which is very cool. And at night...
you know, walking to and from the gym or to and from the grocery store, you'll see a lot of cyclists on the road at night. People after work out doing their hobby. What I didn't realize is that was one of the main cycling routes that people enjoy to take. Of course. And if you go westwards, well, you will cross that Shougang Bridge. Yes. Also, you know, one of the best destinations for cyclists. Oh, really? Yes. To enjoy.
enjoy the river views. And this actually has something to do with the rising trend of cycling craze. And this trend has transformed cycling from primarily a mode of transportation into a popular outdoor sport, a form of recreation and a significant social activity.
And this surge in interest has fueled a vibrant cycling economy, particularly visible in city ride and cycling tourism, which have seen a rise in popularity. And the small wheels of bicycles are driving a big industry.
Yes.
This is from data from the China Bicycle Association. In the first half of 2024, domestic consumption of mid to high-end sports bicycles saw pretty significant growth because sales of products from domestic brands increased by about 20%, and the total annual import volume of racing bicycles rose by almost 13%.
in a one-year span. So that's the sales of bicycles, right? But then you've got the apparel, you've got the gear that you can buy, the shoes that you can buy, the gloves, the sunglasses, all of it goes together. Yes, and what you just said echoes what Fei Fei shared on our show a couple of weeks back. I know she's into...
weightlifting and stuff that I cannot do. Really? Indeed. And I did not know until she, you learn so much about your colleagues on the show. And she's also invested heavily in my
into bicycle cycling gear. I didn't know that. I feel like I'm outing her, but she shared that on the show. Yeah, so once you get into it, there's a lot of consumption that can be made. And I have to admit, I'm more of a casual cycler person.
A cyclist, excuse me. Can I even call myself a cyclist since I don't own a bike? Cyclists would probably say, no, you can't call yourself a cyclist. Yeah, how dare you, Hoi Young. But for me, that's totally fine. You can call yourself that. I think you're referring to what they call gear enthusiasts. Mm-hmm.
And, you know, cycling, it's one of those outdoor sports where, like I said, you can spend a lot of money if you want to. And I think when you really get into it, as is the case with a lot of different hobbies, you know, in the beginning, you might spend just a little bit of money, but you're thinking, oh, OK, I'm going to go do this again next weekend. Hey, wait.
Everybody else doing this has a better bike, has better shoes, has better sunglasses. I'm going to get some of that stuff too. The cost for the gear can easily reach tens of thousands of yuan. Some people will spend over 200,000 yuan. That's almost $28,000 on bikes and accessories. I mean, some of these bikes, they're really, really expensive. You nailed it in the opening when you said that these can cost more than a small car.
It's true. And the accessories and the apparel and the wearables and all that stuff, it adds up very, very, very quickly.
Indeed. And I think because we've been working in our office buildings all the time, actually, there's been a lot of new happenings around us that is reflecting the such trends. Just, I think, less than 100 kilometers, 100 meters, sorry, away from us, our office building, there is this new cycle inn opened along the Chang'an River.
Yeah. In Laoshan area. You noticed that one, right? It's a small entrance, but it's a huge area. It's a hub. It's a so-called hub for cyclists. I think it's 5,000 square meters. Oh, really? And you will find a lot of high-end gears of cycling there. And besides that, of course, coffee shops, restaurants.
Burger restaurants, everything to enjoy your life. It's all part of it, right? I think it's quite...
similar to motorcycle culture in the sense that motorcyclists will go out and spend a day, right? And they're not riding the whole time. They'll stop with their friends, have a coffee at a nice cafe or have some lunch at a nice restaurant and then carry on and stop for a break somewhere else. I think cyclists do exactly the same thing, right? It's
It's not just about the exercise. It's about the culture of the sport and the culture of the hobby, too. We're seeing that culture evolve and taking shape in different directions from year to year. One thing I've noticed is that, okay, just from my very limited knowledge of bikes, I thought mountain bikes was the thing. Mm-hmm.
Apparently, mountain bikes are completely out. Now it is the era or the year for road bikes. Yep, road bikes, folding bikes. Those are really popular these days as well. They have these really cool designs and social appeal, right? Don't forget about the social media aspect of this as well.
I was in Tianjin recently, and Tianjin has this beautiful river that cuts through the center of the city, right? And they have the Ferris wheel, which is this really cool area where the Ferris wheel kind of pops up in the middle of a bridge. It's so cool, the design. But along the river, looking at the Ferris wheel, that's an obvious design.
Insta-worthy, social media-worthy spot. And the cyclists were there in their gear. And when I say gear, I think these were Olympic athletes, judging from what they were wearing. And they were propping up their bicycle, like holding it up in the air almost with the Ferris wheel in the background and the river in the picture too. And that's great for social media. My point is, some of these bikes are really, really cool looking. And it just...
All of this is... It's like a spider web, right? Everything is connected here. The social media aspect, the exercise aspect, the coolness factor, all of it works together. And you mentioned picking up your bike. That is not something I can do. But as I was doing more research, I realized a lot of the really new fancy bikes... They're light. They're light! Yeah, very light. They're not as heavy as I thought they'd be. Yeah. Price of a car, but not the same weight as a car. Oh, well. And that's...
High tech. You can also spend a lot on modifications too, right? So you can get these really high-end components like frames or wheel sets or whatever. And the customization can be sometimes more than the original bike price. Like I said, people get really into it. Yeah, modification of bikes. This is new to me. But modification of cars too.
Cars and motorcycles too. Yeah. Yeah. That's been huge. People do it with their bicycles too. Exactly. And also there are some really specialized services that's growing as well. And potentially this could be the growth for the industry or sort of like a new territory that they could tap into. I'll share a little bit of a memory about cycling for a lot of Chinese kids. Um,
graduating from elementary school was big because we start to... I actually don't know if this is...
according to regulation or whatever, but during the coming of age days of my generation, we get to ride the bike independently without parental guardianship on the street after you graduate elementary school. So, you know, cycling to your middle school was like, ooh, active independence. And back then, it was these really shabby little things
workshops in open air that would fix your bike. And now these scenes are of yesteryear. Now it's nice shops that offer these after sale services. This new trend has really spurred the development of specialized services that
They have fitting institutions that will adjust your bikes, like the bike frame or the seat or the handlebar stem angle, based on you, based on your body measurements. They do this to improve the efficiency of cycling.
If you've been on a bicycle before, you know if the bicycle doesn't fit you, it's just really, really, really uncomfortable. And if you're a person who's going to be on that for a few hours at a time, then you need it to be really comfortable and you have to reduce your physical stress there.
That's one thing. Maybe that's not so surprising. This is pretty cool, though. There are photographers who will position themselves on popular cycling routes to capture images of the cyclists and then sell the pictures to the cyclists themselves. That's a pretty smart business idea. That is, and...
That's really interesting. Who doesn't want a good picture that you can put on social media these days, right? And also when we look at the cycling industry in China, China is a huge manufacturer, a huge exporter, and also we import a lot of the products.
bicycle equipment or bits of the bicycle from international manufacturers. This is also an interesting trade story. Yeah, I mean, well, just talking about here in China first, there's over 4,500 cycling-related enterprises here in the country. And B,
January and April of this year alone, there were more than 150 new cycling-related companies that were established. In the full year of 2024, there were over 550 new companies that entered the cycling industry. So yeah, internationally, sure, but domestically speaking, really
Really a lot of growth happening with the services that are available, but also just with the businesses involved in the industry as a whole. Yes. We're seeing that the Chinese cycling companies or bicycle manufacturers that aim at the mid-
and high-end range, they're making major progress. And what's kind of interesting is if we look at 2025 alone, on the consumer end, actually, they've been pulling back a little bit when it comes to middle and high-end bicycles, despite the overall enthusiasm. Yeah.
So, as we share with you what's going on with cycling in China, this is not only a manufacturing story, it's a lifestyle choice story. And also just to, I invite you to get out of the house, get away from your office desk once you get to and really enjoy, well, it's a little bit hot today, but after the sun sets, hop on a bike and enjoy the city you live in. This is
Maybe the, you know, the thing that can bring a little bit joy for the day. And a little exercise, too. Yes, I think so. Coming up from the shift toward personalized gender neutral names in China to Japan's tight naming restrictions that preserve tradition. Naming rules tell powerful stories. What do these differences reveal about society, identity and culture? Stay tuned.
Looking for passion? How about fiery debate? Want to hear about current events in China from different perspectives? Then tune in to Roundtable, where East meets West and understanding is the goal. ♪
You're listening to Roundtable with myself, He Young. I'm joined by Steve Hatherly and Junya in the studio. Move over, Pikachu and Nike. Japan has its own debate brewing over unique baby names. Now, Japanese officials are tightening the rules, arguing that names like Pikachu or Lightning, yes, with an extra N, might cause kids trouble down the road. But while
While the government aims to shield children from awkward school roll calls or paperwork chaos, some parents are pushing back. Since when did baby names need approval? Can a name be too creative? So, Steve...
Tell us what's going on here. They call these Kira Kira names, and that means shiny or sparkly. And you gave a couple of examples there. Pikachu, Nike, Pooh from Winnie the Pooh, if you're familiar with that character. Um...
This isn't the norm, but over the last few decades, some parents in Japan have been giving their babies some unique names, but it's gotten to the point now that the government is stepping in. And it's quite divisive, actually. Supporters will say that it's an expression, you know, naming their baby is an expression of individualism and these names are harmless.
One commenter said these are not children of the nation, they're children of the parents. They should be able to name their kids what they want. But for all the supporters that the trend has, it seems that they are outnumbered by those that want the change. They seem to think that kids with unusual names might face, number one, harassment, or at the very least, complications with administrative tasks like registering for something or banking or things of that nature.
What are the rules regarding names in China? Well, here in China, of course, we have our own regulations when it comes to naming. For example, our name consists of two parts, family name first and then given name.
And there are certain new standards as well, but we're trying our best to prohibit certain contents. For example, some alphabets, alphabet letters, and...
and certain characters, I don't know, there is a news that's catch the headline is a young guy from Hunan province. I think he has a quite a normal name, Zhu Yunfei or something like three characters. And then he changed his name into a quite eye-catching six character name, like Zhu Xuanwu.
something like that, just to sound like a big emperor or something. Then it was prohibited by the government. They said no. No, of course no. Yeah, there are certain rules when it comes to prohibited content. And this is according to China's civil code regulations on name registration. So any content that harms national or ethnicities
ethnic dignity that violates public order or good customs or may cause public misunderstanding. Please stay away from those characters. And also, there is a length limit. You
Junya mentioned six characters, and yes, that's the ceiling. So two to six Chinese characters. Oh, all two sixes allowed. Yes. Okay. It's just the meaning. It doesn't make sense. I've never met a Chinese person with a six-character name before, so it can't be that common, is it?
It's not that common. No, you never see it. Usually four is maximum. But for those members of the 56 ethnic minorities in this country, then yes, feel free to follow your own ethnic rules and traditions, what you want to use or the number of characters you want to use. And the trends in modern Chinese naming deeply reflect social changes, cultural movements, and characteristics of values
of that period of history. What are some of the
I guess the trends that you find interesting that reflect our history. Yeah, for example, in the early days when the People's Republic of China was established, there were certain strong political themes, names related to nation building and patriotism, such as 建国, 建国, 建华, 建华, a lot. I know so many of these, but older family relatives. Okay. Yeah.
Like 建国 means building the country. 建华 also building China. 爱国 like love China, love your country. But young people these days, you wouldn't meet a young person with these types of names. No. So what are the trends for young people's names? I'm talking like Chinese Gen Z.
You know, the recent trend is that I think it's even very hard for me to recognize. I think they come from certain novels like Mu Yao, Rui Ze, Ruo Xi, Ai Ling, things like that. You can't tell their specific meaning from their...
Chinese characters. They're very poetic. They sound like the name of a heroine or a hero from one of those internet literature novels. That sounds fun. I think so too. And they do reflect the preference of a certain era, today's era. Thank you so much, Steve Hatherly and Gao Junyao for joining the discussion. I'm Ha Young. We'll see you next time.