China’s Xi’an is known around the globe for its terracotta sculptures. But that’s not the only story hidden beneath the city’s surface. Xi’an is set to become the world’s next leading smart city with underground infrastructure at the forefront of its innovation. In ancient China, the city was a beginning point of the Silk Road. Now, Xi’an is home to nearly 12 million people, and is a landmark spot on China’s new Belt and Road Initiative. Our Host James Chau explores the history of the city and its infrastructural plans to lead China into the future.

The World Banks says for the first time in a quarter of a century, global extreme poverty is on the rise—reversing decades of progress. It predicts the "new poor" will increasingly occur in urban areas, where lockdown and social distancing is already causing social and economic strife. But, in China, poverty is in reverse. Since the late 1970s, hundreds of millions of people have escaped hardship and hunger in an ongoing campaign—and, now, the country says extreme poverty in rural areas has been eliminated. Our Host James Chau looks at the story of one ethnic group in Sichuan Province, where a mountain once separated the Yi people from achieving a better life.

Livestream video has taken the world by storm, and China is leading the charge. From teachers to celebrities, a massive surge of users in China has established livestreaming as its own industry. With the rise in online retailers and “key opinion leaders” livestreaming to sell and review products, this new industry is changing the landscape of e-commerce in China. As the pandemic continues, its prominence certainly won’t fade away anytime soon. Our Host James Chau explores the impact of the pandemic on e-commerce and the livestream business boom.