When reports emerged of Chinese 'police service stations' operating in Europe, alarm bells began ringing across the continent. But what exactly is going on at these sites, and how worried should we be about them? This week we ring Yuan Yang, Europe-China correspondent at the Financial Times, to get a better understanding of how China works beyond its borders. We're also talking about Viktor Orbán's controversial scarf and the right not to be 'fun' at work.
You can follow Yuan on Twitter here and read her reporting on China's offshore police stations here.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: 'The White Lotus', Season 2, and The Playlist. Our interview with newly-minted astronaut Dr Meganne Christian, from February 2019, can be found in this episode: The Most Isolated Place on Earth'.
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03:04 Bad Week: Scarfgate
08:09 Good Week: The right to not be fun
15:35 Interview: Yuan Yang on China's 'overseas police stations'
29:20 Isolation Inspiration: Season 2 of 'The White Lotus' and 'The Playlist'
32:22 Happy Ending: Europe's new astronauts
Producer: Katy Lee
Mixing and mastering: Wojciech Oleksiak
Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina
This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. You can find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family.