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HOW TO DO BUSINESS IN CHINA ?
 
If you display feelings of appreciation and excitement as part of your business etiquette, try to restrain that impulse. It is best to maintain composure when dealing with Chinese business people, the most you can do is use kind words, politeness or a faint smile. No matter how grateful you are, do not bring a gift and do not tip in a restaurant – they will not be received with joy!
 
Business Mentality

– Chinese business people will expect you to be well prepared for the meeting. Make sure to have at least 20 copies of your proposal ready for handing out. Note that presentation materials should be only in black and white, avoid colours.
Small talk is considered particularly important at the beginning of a meeting.
– They prefer to establish a strong relationship before closing a deal, so you might have to meet up several times to achieve your objectives.
– It is vital for you to maintain composure during meetings. Causing embarrassment or showing too much emotion could have a negative effect for a business negotiation.
– Regarding decision-making, the Chinese tend to extend negotiations far beyond the agreed deadline to gain some advantage. Be prepared for that: accept their delays and do not mention deadlines. Your patience will be much appreciated!
– People in China usually enter the meeting room in hierarchical order. So be careful – they will assume that the first of you walking in the room is the head of the delegation!
– Business hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
– Many Chinese workers take a break between 12:00 and 2:00 pm, during which almost everything stops from working – from lifts to phone services.
– It is best to schedule an appointment during these periods: April to June and September to October.

Greetings

Handshakes are common but wait for your Chinese counterpart to initiate the gesture.
– Regarding titles of courtesy, most people should be addressed with a title followed by their last name. Careful not to use “comrade” – unless you are a committed communist of course.

The Art of Conversation

– Chinese people will appreciate it if you use a couple of words in Chinese, but make sure you are aware of the meaning and the appropriate occasions.
– In Chinese culture, the questions “Have you eaten?” or “Where have you been?” are pleasantries equivalent to the traditional “How are you?” in the English-speaking culture. Therefore, do not take it literally and start getting into details in your answer! Simply answer “yes” if you have eaten – even if you haven’t – or simply smile and say “thank you!”.
Popular welcome topics are themes about China: art, scenery, landmarks, climate, and geography. You can mention your travelling experiences to other countries and include your positive impressions as a tourist in China!
Try to avoid political-related discussions, such as the Cultural Revolution or Chairman Mao, the “Tibet” and “Taiwan” questions, human rights, animal treatment.
– Chinese people are very careful about strong negative statements. For instance, negative answers are considered impolite, so find alternatives (“I’ll think about it”/”maybe”/”we’ll see”) instead of a blunt “no”.
– Similarly, if your Chinese counterparts say “Not a big issue” or “The problem is not serious”, they usually mean that there still are problems or that the problems are serious.

Body Language

Body language and movements are things you have to be constantly conscious of when doing business in China. As mentioned above, you have to stay calm, collected and controlled.
Body posture should always be formal and attentive as it demonstrates self-control and respectfulness.
– Be careful about what you do with your hands as well – putting your hands in your mouth, biting your nails, removing food from your teeth and similar practices are considered rude.

Business meetings and meals

Dress code: conservative suits. Bright colours of any kind are considered inadequate.
– Punctuality is vital. Being late is a serious offence in the Chinese business culture.

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