Chinese Business =
Etiquette=85.
More than=20
just good manners
By Greg Hugh, Staff =
Writer
Despite an unwelcome snowstorm =
that snarled=20
the morning rush hour, about 50 people still made it to the =
March=20
meeting of U.S.-China Business Connections (UCBC).
According to Jim Smith, UCBC =
Director, there=20
were over 70 reservations which reflected the interest on =
the topic=20
of the meeting: Chinese Business Etiquette.
![](3D"http://www.chinainsight.info/april2008/photos/EtiquettePhoto_Yang.=)
The speaker =
on the topic was=20
Dr. Dechua Yang, Founder and President of Exponential =
Business and=20
Technologies Company (Ebatco), a Minnesota-based consulting =
company=20
specializing in China.
At the beginning of his talk, Dr. =
Yang=20
provided an outline of what he would cover during his =
presentation.=20
He emphasized that to be successful in China, it would be =
helpful to=20
know some facts about China, Chinese culture, business =
etiquette and=20
perhaps a few simple and essential Chinese sentences.
It was noted that China has the =
third largest=20
economy in the world with US$3 trillion in GDP with over 1.3 =
billion=20
consumers and has experienced a 10 percent annual growth =
rate over=20
the past several years. Although the average annual earnings =
per=20
capita are quite low, over 3 million students are enrolled =
in=20
college each year.
As for the culture, China has been =
influenced=20
by over 5,000 years of civilization and affected by =
Confucianism,=20
Communism and the Cultural Revolution along with Western =
influence.=20
The people and culture display characteristics that are =
humble,=20
industrious, intelligent and loyal. The people are =
self-reliant,=20
family-oriented, more verbal and less contractual.
The teachings of Confucius, the =
great=20
philosopher and master, stated "Never impose on others what =
you=20
would not choose for yourself."
![](3D"http://www.chinainsight.info/april2008/photos/Etiquette_About_Chin=)
The next part of the presentation =
focused a=20
great deal of discussion on actual Chinese business =
etiquette and=20
customs which included facts on lucky and unlucky numbers; =
the=20
proper form for introductions how to get acquainted; =
acceptable=20
table manners; gifting and receiving gifts; developing =
friendship,=20
guanxi and social behavior; saving face and saying no and =
finishing=20
with other business etiquette customs practiced in =
China.
![](3D"http://www.chinainsight.info/april2008/photos/gifting.jpg"=20)
Perhaps the most difficult part of =
doing=20
business in China is dealing with the language. Thus Dr. =
Yang made=20
it a point to encourage the group to get the pronunciation =
of names=20
and words correctly. He discussed the four tones of the =
Chinese=20
phonetic system and had the group actually practice examples =
of the=20
four tones that also included 10 pronunciation keys.
![](3D"http://www.chinainsight.info/april2008/photos/Etiquette_Tones.jpg"=)
At the end of this section of his =
talk, Dr.=20
Yang provided what he recommended as 14 essential sentences =
to learn=20
if you were traveling to China.
![](3D"http://www.chinainsight.info/april2008/photos/Etiquette_Sentences.=)
Dr. Yang then took questions from =
the group=20
that seemed to greatly appreciate his presentation. One =
question was=20
from a female student that was planning to travel to China =
soon and=20
she wanted recommendations as to what kind of gifts she =
should bring=20
and it was suggested that simple gifts that reflect her =
Minnesota=20
connection would be appreciated. Another question revolved =
on the=20
matter of negotiating and Dr. Yang commented that this =
widely=20
practiced and it exists throughout Chinese society and =
bargaining on=20
price and terms is commonly conducted both in business and =
consumer=20
settings.
For additional information on Dr. =
Yang, visit=20
his Web site at http://www.ebatcho.com/.
The next breakfast meeting of UCBC =
is=20
scheduled for April 2, 2008 and the topic will be =
"Partnering=20
Strategies in China-How David Can Take on Goliath =
Projects."
The speaker will be Steve Huh, =
President, PDI=20
Worldwide. UCBC=92s Web site http://www.ucbcgroup.org/ for more=20
information.
Editor=92s Note: For =
additional information=20
on Chinese business customs, China Insight has a series of =
fact=20
sheets available on Business Etiquette, Essential China =
Advice and=20
Chinese Business Culture.
|
Chinese =
Business=20
Customs
Business=20
Etiquette
Essential=20
China Advice
Chinese=
=20
Business =
Culture |