Acquainting the Chinese

Chinese Dealings

Etiquette, manners, conduct

Domain	Explanation
What deal with the Chinese?	Mainland China is a buzz of activities nowadays Whereas the world seems to diving into economic & social woes, China is thriving – a true Pearl of the East Unification is no longer a dream, it is a planned vision: Hong Kong return in 1997, Macau return in 1999 & Taiwan consensus The democratic movement has diminished & communism is no longer fashionable The Chinese are latest woos of the West How do we approach the Chinese? Do what Jacky Chan does? Maybe … & break a few bones in the spinning & kicking amidst abundant humour Try these tried & tested approaches by a seasoned Westerner How do you match up?
Acquaintance	Do business with the Chinese through recommendations & intermediary Clarify the business approach of the company & the hopes Good to cultivate personal ties in the bureaucracy Necessary to have a capable & helpful host organization to visit China Foreigners expected to work & conduct as cohesive groups, not as individuals Strict hierarchy structure to delegations
Meeting & greeting	Chinese seldom called by direct names, more often by names or designations Surnames come first Formal welcoming parties sent to airport, with rank of official greeter depending on visitor’s importance Chinese tends to stand too close, belch, spit, litter & even pass wind Tends to stare at foreigners at rural areas, not considered rude Never touch Chinese of opposite sex except for quick handshakes Sometimes laugh at mishaps as a form of uncertain reaction to an uncomfortable situation Avoid rough contact with the Chinese, keep proper posture, never put feet on the table & use only hands to point Silence is a virtue to the Chinese: a sign of courtesy & more comfortable with silence Never force a Chinese to say a direct "no" Do business through face-to-face meetings, avoid telephones, emails Phone: immediately state your organization & your purpose for calling Do not discuss confidential things on the phone, do so in private
Cultural differences	Chinese are socialized not to question the social order or try to change it: system optimal ideology Consensus is imposed such that individuals are expected to embrace the group decision Work unit, dan wei, wields powers over the lives of its members Confucian ethics of loyalty, filial piety, sincerity, respect for aged and seniority, modesty, generosity, avoidance of direct confrontation & rank-consciousness Strictly top-down decision-making Face, mian zi, is vitally important: the regard in which one is held by others or the light in which one appears Face can also be given through praise Connections, guan xi: arrangement between people that makes Chinese go & favours Accept favours in order to reciprocate & return favour when given Prying eyes & spies everywhere
Seating arrangement	When receiving guests, host always sits in center facing principal guest Or Principal guest sits on the right of the host Banquet seating: first host, right: first guest; second host opposite to first host; with second guest right of second host
Business meeting	Chinese expect as much information about us before they agree to formal discussions Dislikes surprises, preferring to decide given all information needed Punctuality important Generally expect foreign leaders to enter room (conference) first & doing so avoids confusion Chinese meetings often begin with small talk: start with ice-breakers like general observations or questions Chinese prefer to let principal leaders hold the talk, & to react to others’ ideas & not bear out theirs Chinese often signal speaker with nods or verbal interjections to show that they understand Always offer a way out so Chinese can preserve face & never put anyone on the spot during the meeting Talk directly to the host, through a translator but never directly to the translator Restate what was accomplished at the end of meeting to guard against misunderstanding
Foreigners’ relationships	Chinese view Westerners as highly advanced in many ways, but loose in morals Displaying some knowledge of Chinese customs earns admiration Business relationships are constrained by fear of corruption, with Chinese of higher station, must be careful to be correct in behaviour & not to appear presumptuous Never give impression that you think yourself as being more important Foreign spouses are regarded as same rank of her husbands, but Chinese spouses seldom show up Friendship implies obligations to the Chinese Sex outside marriage is taboo A visit to Chinese home often includes a meal Bring a gift along, eat a lot to show enjoyment, counter every apology with a compliment, wait before leaving & reciprocate the invitation Chinese remains uncomfortable with revealing clothing
Banqueting	For a host: Meet guests at the door & escort to the room & seats Follow standard seating arrangement Keep sharp eye on guests’ plates & always keep them full & serve guests even when they protest For a guest: Always leave something on your plate, else implies you are still hungry Try to sample every dish Pace yourself for eating, count a dozen dishes Never suddenly stop eating or drinking, else Chinese think they have offended you Decide on your drink & stick to it Never toasting beverage alone, always find someone to drink with
Gift-giving	Gifts to show esteem, gratitude, discharge obligations, mark occasions, accompany request for favours Delegations expected to give presents to hosts as one whole Small, less valuable gifts to individuals for fear of corruption Gratuities are officially forbidden in China Reward someone for outstanding service with a small gift instead of money Chinese often make as many as three obligatory refusal gestures when offered gifts Avoid clocks (death), white wrapping (death), five gifts with both & don’t expect to be opened in front of you Gifts given in favours should correlate with the magnitude of the favour Gifts carry unspoken obligations: decline gift politely if never done a favour before
Negotiating	Negotiations are not adversial: looking more for commitment to work together, a singed agreement is only a milepost on a long journey Chinese negotiating team is often 8-10 people with team leader, engineers, technicians, interpreter, Party representative & attorney: work is subject to higher-ups never seen Select knowledgeable people experienced in China & avoid constant changes of members Chinese begin by gathering information & assessing trustworthiness: only until the end do the Chinese focus on concrete issues Predictable Chinese negotiation tactics include assessing control over location & schedule of the talks, exploiting vulnerabilities, instilling guilt & shame, playing competitors against one another, using intermediaries to float ideas & possible positions, feigning anger, revisiting old issues, invoking legal precedents, raising or lowering expectations to suit their purposes Always have abundant preparations, resist their efforts to flatter you into making concessions, pad your price so that you can satisfy them by lowering it later on Avoid resolving problems one by one as they are raised; don’t conceded anything too easily; avoid showing temper; & never lose patience
Getting things done	Host organization, jie dai dan wei, is responsible for you & maintain good relations with it Chinese government is all-pervasive; chain of command is complex & innovation is painful Decisions made by consensus & top-down Different work units have different interests & rival against one another Innovation is frowned on & Chinese workers try to avoid accepting responsibilities When encountering resistance, speak with persistence in soft tones rather than shrill complaining Zou hou men: connections to obtain scarce services & goods, but going through the back door implies reciprocal obligations Chinese seek gratuities for providing hard-to-get services Chinese don’t like to be pushed & are more cooperative if they like you than if they resent you: showing anger is counter-effective Always offer Chinese to save face: use intermediary to deliver bad news
Hosting the Chinese	Choose carefully among the many Chinese groups looking for hosting delegations Delegations have definite structures and hierarchies Chinese expect hosts to coordinate the trips & make everything smooth & always clarify exactly what is expected of you Let Chinese pay their own expenses unless otherwise stated, consider briefing first-time visitors on security precautions Arrange someone of suitable rank to pick them up & see them off; providing transportation is a good way to signal respect Someone of suitable rank should stay with the group Provide them with a schedule (Chinese & English together) & also distribute technical materials Need for consecutive translation; twice the allotted presentation time; note questions that cannot be answered & follow up on such requests Chinese find cocktail parties awkward; triple expected orange juice quantity Pay attention to the Chinese routine of leaving promptly after the last course is finished Avoid large portions of red meat, blood-rare steaks & hamburgers, dairy products, salads of raw vegetables Try more rice, noodles, stews, stir-fried vegetables; fresh fruits Welcoming sign at visiting site Never force media representatives onto the Chinese, unless they have agreed prior to this
Some sites that you can consider	* The International Business Etiquette Internet Sourcebook * Business Etiquette International Business Culture, Customs and Etiquette BUSINESS NETIQUETTE INTERNATIONAL Business Etiquette Business Culture, Manners, Customs, Etiquette in India International business customs, business protocol, business ... THE LETT GROUP - International Protocol and Business Etiquette ... Business etiquette school, cell phone manners and protocol ... Miss Etiquette advice, business manners, wedding etiquette. Chinese Etiquette and Ethics in Business \| Dos and Don'ts Protocol Professionals, Inc. \| Chinese Etiquette & Protocol culturalsavvy.com \|Chinese Culture and Etiquette Hong Kong Business Etiquette and Mannners China Business Etiquette Business Tour Guide \| Etiquette China Intelligence Unit Insight to doing business in Asia Chinese Etiquette

Excerpts from "Dealing with the Chinese: a practical guide to business etiquette" by Scott D. Seligman, 1997

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws