The World of the Chinese
De wereld van de Chinezen
We checked 8 streaming services in India on 05 Jun 2026 at 08:09 IST
About
China is playing an increasingly important role worldwide. Under President Xi Jinping, substantial investments are being made in communication and cooperation and industrious Chinese people are settling abroad in large numbers. Documentary maker and China expert Ruben Terlou visits them in the new VPRO travel series ‘The World of the Chinese’. Who are they, what do they want to achieve and what impact does their presence have on the local population?
Cast
Seasons
Season 1
China's mark on the world seems to be increasing. Ruben Terlou visits places where China's influence has been increasingly felt in recent years. Using impressive personal stories, he exposes the effects of China's geopolitics.
Season 2
In this second season, Ruben Terlou visits five new countries where China's influence has become increasingly tangible in recent years. He exposes China's geopolitics through impressive personal stories.
Episodes
Season 1
Kenya
Ruben Terlou sees Kenyans expressing their love for the Chinese motherland through song in fluent Chinese, but discovers that the arrival of the Chinese and their investments also lead to conflict. The rise of China in Africa is great. The New Silk Road of China comes to fruition on the east coast of Kenya. Ruben travels in a Chinese train with a Chinese driver on train tracks that are built by Chinese, through safari parks, to Nairobi. Masai talk about a violent escalation, in which a Chinese died. A Chinese pancake baker discovers that pancakes yield little profit and takes up gambling in the local Chinese casino.
Cambodia
On the coast of Cambodia, in only a few years a sleeping backpacker village has been transformed into a gigantic city with casinos, hotels and nightclubs. Sihanoukville is built and populated by Chinese citizens and Chinese investors and fortune seekers flood the city. Cambodians are in the minority, unable to compete and no longer recognize their own city through all the Chinese billboards that are being put up. Ruben Terlou drinks $6,000 cognac with the boss of a nightclub, gets to know a Chinese dancer and meets a Cambodian worker who has lost friends and family after a Chinese construction project had collapsed.
Madagascar
Chinese companies enjoy doing business in the exotic, remote Madagascar. There is a lot to be gained, because the country is rich in natural resources. And because the population is poor, labor is cheap. Ruben Terlou goes diving with local fishermen and talks with the crew of a Chinese fishing fleet that has just been chained down by Madagascar's new president. Inland, Ruben sees entire families working on Chinese cotton plantations under a scorching sun. And he meets a Chinese cotton boss, whose investment went horribly wrong.
Serbia
Serbia and China are close friends, partly because of their shared communist past. The Chinese are rolling out railway lines in Serbia and have taken over the ailing heavy industry. But the Serbs pay a hefty price for that support. The steel factory, that once again is fully operational because of the Chinese, leads to terrible pollution and desperate villagers. Down in the gold and copper mines, Ruben Terlou meets a woman who left her family in China for love and he celebrates Chinese New Year with the Chinese miners. Which is not a particular festive evening this time, because the pandemic in Wuhan has just broken out.
United States
Lots of Chinese settle in California, for different reasons. For some it's the American Dream, others want to offer their children a better education. What's striking is that a lot of Chinese-Americans are very conservative and vote for Trump. But Ruben Terlou also meets advocates of diversity, such as Chinese-American rapper Jason who's using his music to represent the America of everyone. In the desert Ruben visits an anti communistic artist who offers a home to political refugees from Tibet and Hong Kong. They've come for the freedom.
Italy
In Prato the last few decades, the biggest Chinese community of Europe, has taken over the textile industry, which is the pride of Italy. The locals are longing back to the past, but there also those who want to connect the two cultures. In the Tuscan city Prato live and work 50,000 Chinese, the local population doesn't recognise her city anymore. Right wing politicians reproach the Chinese with unfair competition and bad integration, but there's also another sound. Ruben Terlou follows a Chinese woman who campaigns and hopes to become the first politician from Chinese descent in Italy.
The Netherlands
After Ruben Terlou has met Chinese across the globe, he's now looking into the Chinese presence in The Netherlands. Who are these Chinese that have settled in our country? In Giethoorn lives a ingenious Chinese entrepreneurial family who really are a jack of all trades. At Groningen University Ruben meets a physics student who's about to return to China. In Tilburg a local entrepreneur has built a logistical imperium by doing business with the Chinese state. And Ruben speaks to adopted children who wrestle with their identity.
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About The World of the Chinese
China is playing an increasingly important role worldwide. Under President Xi Jinping, substantial investments are being made in communication and cooperation and industrious Chinese people are settling abroad in large numbers. Documentary maker and China expert Ruben Terlou visits them in the new VPRO travel series ‘The World of the Chinese’. Who are they, what do they want to achieve and what impact does their presence have on the local population? Across 2 seasons and 12 episodes, originally airing on VPRO.
The World of the Chinese Cast and Characters
The cast features Ruben Terlou (as Presenter). Their performances are a major reason The World of the Chinese has built such a passionate audience.
Where to Watch The World of the Chinese Online
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▶ Watch The World of the Chinese NowWhy People Are Watching The World of the Chinese
There's a reason The World of the Chinese keeps showing up on "must-watch" lists. What makes it work is a tone and style that's hard to find elsewhere. If you enjoy NL storytelling that doesn't follow the same tired beats, this is the kind of show you'll end up recommending to friends.
Frequently Asked Questions about The World of the Chinese
Where can I watch The World of the Chinese online for free?
You can watch The World of the Chinese online free on Bowood.TV. Just open the page and hit play — no signup, no subscription, full HD streaming on phone, tablet, or desktop.
How many episodes does The World of the Chinese have?
The World of the Chinese has 12 episodes across 2 seasons. All episodes are available to stream right here on Bowood.TV.
Is The World of the Chinese good? What's the rating?
The World of the Chinese holds a 8.6/10 rating based on 5 reviews — genuinely excellent.
Who is in the cast of The World of the Chinese?
The main cast includes Ruben Terlou.
Is The World of the Chinese available in NL?
Yes — The World of the Chinese was originally produced in NL and that's the version you'll stream here on Bowood.TV. English subtitles are provided when available.
When was The World of the Chinese released?
The World of the Chinese first aired in 2021.
Do I need an account to watch The World of the Chinese on Bowood.TV?
No. Bowood.TV is free and you can watch The World of the Chinese without creating an account. Sign-up is optional — only useful if you want a personal Watchlist or to comment on episodes.
Similar Series You Might Like
If you enjoyed The World of the Chinese, check out Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey, Legend of Martial Arts, china·瓷, Rubio in Search of the Lost Taste, and Untamed China.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch The World of the Chinese for free?
You can watch The World of the Chinese online for free on Bowood.TV. All 12 episodes across 2 seasons are available to stream in HD without a subscription, signup, or paywall. Just open the show page and press play.
How many seasons and episodes does The World of the Chinese have?
The World of the Chinese currently has 2 seasons and a total of 12 episodes. The series status is "Ended", so the episode count may grow as new seasons are released. You can browse the full episode list on Bowood.TV and continue watching from where you left off.
What is The World of the Chinese about?
China is playing an increasingly important role worldwide. Under President Xi Jinping, substantial investments are being made in communication and cooperation and industrious Chinese people are settling abroad in large numbers. Documentary maker and China expert Ruben Terlou visits them in the new VPRO travel series… It belongs to the Documentary genre.
In which language is The World of the Chinese originally available?
The World of the Chinese was originally produced in NL. On Bowood.TV the show is available in its original NL audio. Check the player options on the watch page for available subtitle tracks.
When was The World of the Chinese first released?
The World of the Chinese first premiered on January 10, 2021 (2021). The series has since concluded its run.
All Seasons
Browse every season of The World of the Chinese — 2 seasons in total
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