Doing business with China: Five Important Tips

Tips and steps to follow when doing business with the Chinese:

1. This is not to arrive with a box of wine and give a bottle everyone equally, you should respect the hierarchy. The gift for the boss must be different from that given to the employee, because the hierarchies in China should be respected.Be careful with the object that is given and what this represents in Eastern culture. For example, you should never give a clock, because it’s like wanting to die, just like anything with the number four.
2. Unlike what happens in our culture, women in China do not enjoy so many rules of cordiality. If a woman expected to give a preference to enter an elevator is going to stay down, because nobody will stop to pass up. Therefore, to arrive at a reunion is not greet first woman to be in the group, except that she’s the boss, as always respected the office more than gender. Much less you have to go and greet with a kiss to a woman, only shakes hands with great respect, as is done with a man.
3. The ritual of giving a business card is not as trivial as in the West, because in China must follow a certain protocol. It must give and receive with both hands and never keep it scarce can provide, they must be read and show interest, otherwise it is disrespectful. A good tip is to take many cards the hotel where you will host, for handing them over to the driver so that it could take him back.
4. If a table is heard Gan Bei! is because you have to drink the drink once, but really once. In such a situation, leave something in the cup is frowned upon in China. If you go to dinner with Chinese entrepreneurs, they will perform several toasts at dinner and you have to drink them as stated above. This ritual is part of knowing, for what is considered normal for them. One tip: with so many drinks can advance in business, but not to enter into such trust, that means not avoid talking about politics and social issues or history that are uncomfortable for the Chinese, like the occupation of Tibet, Taiwan independence much less suppression of the Tiananmen Square in 1989.
5. If a foreigner comes to doing business only, the Chinese are not going to take the trouble to serve them as if with a delegation of other entrepreneurs. It must go in groups, never alone, because that gives credibility to show products or deliver customer data.