Small Tips for Chinese Business Etiquette

Greetings

Nodding and smiling are very common greetings. In official business meetings, handshakes are common. Most people should be addressed with a title or professional title followed by their last name.

The Art of Open a Conversation

Chinese people will appreciate it if you use a couple of words in Chinese, For example, When people say:

“你好” (nǐ hǎo), --- English means 'Hi, or Hello';

“很高兴认识你”(hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ) ---English means 'Nice to meet you'.

You can say :

“幸会” (xìng huì) --- English means 'I’m charmed to meet you'; or

“久仰” (jiǔyǎng) --- English means ' I've long been looking forward to meeting you.

Small talk is considered particularly important at the beginning of a meeting. Popular welcome topics like art, scenery, landmarks, weather, geography and kids education, etc.. For example, your travelling experiences to other countries and include your positive impressions as a tourist in China, etc., try to avoid political related discussions.

Business Meetings

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.

It is important to show respect to those to whom respect is due - this is one of the ways in which you can show yourself to be honourable and in turn worthy of respect. Respect should be shown to age, seniority, the company, the region, etc. Stand up when a senior person enters the room. Exchanging business cards is another key part of introductions. The polite thing to do is accept the business card with both hands.

Chinese business people will expect you to be well prepared for the meeting. 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. In addition, they prefer to establish a strong relationship before closing a deal, so you might have to meet up several times to achieve your objectives.

Communication Styles

Save and give face (in Chinese Mandarin called 给面子). 面子 (face) is one of the key aspects of Chinese culture. The Chinese find it extremely difficult to say 'no'. Saying 'no' causes both embarrassment and loss of face and it is therefore better to agree with things in a less than direct manner. In order to “give face,” pay attention to elders and rankings. 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".

It is also difficult to deliver bad news and this is often done through the use of an intermediary who can soften the blow and try to preserve as much good-will within the relationship as possible.

Dress Code

Appearance is important within Chinese business circles. Successful people are expected to look successful. Wealth is admired, so wear good quality clothes. Many business men now wear suits and ties and women tend to wear skirts and blouses. It is advisable to have smart business attire with you when doing business in China.