Talk at the Library: Voices from China

In 2020, Su Min, a 56-year-old woman from rural China, made a life-changing decision – she hit the road alone. Leaving behind a stifling marriage, she set off on a solo journey across China with nothing but her car and her determination. Her story is one of many shared on the podcast The Weirdo, a popular Chinese language podcast that covers the issues shaping contemporary Chinese society – feminism, democracy, equality, the environment, and more. The topics resonate far beyond China, it's the same conversations that engage young people in Switzerland and across Europe –whether it's the war in Ukraine, the challenges of balancing motherhood and a career, or the rapid rise of AI in the workplace.

For over a decade, Qing Wang, podcaster, journalist, and influencer, has been amplifying Chinese voices, speaking with hundreds of people on themes ranging from politics and economy to climate change and lifestyle. With a deeply human-centred approach, she sheds light on both the major issues shaping today's world and the personal stories that millions can relate to.

What is it like to be Chinese journalist and podcaster today? How do young people in China engage with the world? And how do they perceive today’s biggest global debates?

Join us for this Talk at the Library – hosted off site at Lechbinska Forum – with The Weirdo co-host, Qing Wang, and moderated by Remko Tanis, STATE OF ASIA Podcast co-host and Managing Editor at Asia Society Switzerland.

To get a glimpse of The Weirdo Qing has kindly translated the story of Su Min, available to download on our website, along with a podcast episode on artificial intelligence and another on the Russia–Ukraine war.

This event is hosted in collaboration with the MoneyMuseum. 

Qing Wang is a multi-award winning journalist, podcaster and social media influencer. She is committed to helping the world understand China, and China the world.
Qing has 10 years' experience covering political and economic stories with a cross-border perspective and a human-centered approach. She currently leads The Weirdo podcast, a popular Chinese language podcast founded in 2019 that has attracted millions of young subscribers. She is also an active participant in Chinese debates on social justice, feminism and globalization. She currently has one million followers on Weibo, where her influence is recognized with multiple awards, including "top 100 young thinkers" and "top 10 young women influencers".

About Talk at the Library

Talk at the Library is a members-only series where we invite an expert to our office library, over lunch, for a conversation on specific niche topics on a variety of countries and regions of Asia. The program consists of a moderated discussion and subsequent audience Q&A. Participants have the opportunity interact with the experts, asking questions live or online. Online participation is open to the public.

For this edition, we are delighted to be hosted at the Lechbinska Forum and open it to the public. A video will be available on our Youtube page after the event.