Why did a Chinese row ruin a bake off?

From Versace handbags to NBA players it’s hard to escape Chinese politics

An episode of the Beyond Today podcast, hosted by BBC Radio 4, titled "Why did a Chinese row ruin a bake off?" was published on November 13, 2019 and runs 19 minutes.

November 13, 2019 ·19m · Beyond Today

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Summary

Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have been going on for months now. In the past few days the violence has escalated and schools are being closed for safety reasons. The row centres on a fight for national identity. For Hong Kong protestors this is a fight for freedom from influence from mainland China. For the Chinese authorities it is a fight to protect their nation.In this episode, we meet Maggie Watson, a cake maker from Derby who was surprised to witness the ferocity of this row at a cake competition in Birmingham. We speak to Vincent Ni from the BBC’s China desk who explains why this happened and what it tells us about the Chinese psyche. He explores how the scars of the past affect trading relationships with Western mega brands like the NBA, Versace, Dior and Gap and how China is sensitive to foreign interference in its affairs.Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Lucy Hancock, Duncan Barber. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Episode Description

In this episode, we meet Maggie Watson, a cake maker from Derby who was surprised to witness the ferocity of this row at a cake competition in Birmingham. We speak to Vincent Ni from the BBC’s China desk who explains why this happened and what it tells us about the Chinese psyche.

He explores how the scars of the past affect trading relationships with Western mega brands like the NBA, Versace, Dior and Gap and how China is sensitive to foreign interference in its affairs.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Producers: Lucy Hancock, Duncan Barber. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields