Hello, welcome to Roundtable,
where we serve up piping hot debates on the issues that sizzle in China and beyond.
I'm Neal Holen.
A city reveals its values, not through slogans, but through how it treats leftovers.
When surplus food is thrown away, waste becomes invisible.
When it's redistributed with care, it becomes a mirror,
reflecting how a society understands dignity, responsibility, and shared life.
Food banks are not new.
They exist across the world, filling gaps loved by fragile social safety nets sometimes,
and what's different in places like Shenzhen Again,
it's not the idea of food aid itself, but the way it's been reimagined.
Less as a last resort, and more as a normalized part of urban life.
For this episode, I'm joined by Xing Yu and Steve Hallerly.
Now grab your virtual compass and follow us to the heart of the discussion.
What happens when a leftover meal becomes a shared urban resource?
In many Chinese cities, more and more food banks no longer look like charity counters.
They look like smart lockers operating around the clock,
where dignity is protected not by speeches, but by design.
When charity starts thinking like a product manager focused on user experience, efficiency,
and dignity, does it change how cities take care of their people?