Etiquettefirst
“Courtesybeforetheuseofforce”isanancientChinesesayingthatalsodemonstratestheChinesenegotiationstyles.Beforenegotiations,Chinesepeopleemphasizeestablishingfriendshipwithclientsbecausemanypeoplebelievethattherelationshipwilllastevenifthebusinessmaynotsucceed;thishasbeenawidelyacceptedbeliefsinceancienttimesinChina.IfyoucometoChinaforbusinessnegotiations,yourChinesecounterpartswillgiveyouanextremelywarmwelcome.Beforethenegotiationandatlaterstagesofthenegotiation,yourChineseclientsmayarrangeattentiveservicesforyou,includingsightseeing,shoppingandnicedinners.IfChinesepeoplegotoothercountriesforbusinessnegotiations,theywillbringcarefullyselectedgiftstoexpresstheirwillingnesstomakefriends.
Chinesepeoplepayparticularattentiontoestablishinglong-termandfriendlybusinessrelationships.Tothem,thenegotiationprocessisalsoaprocessofestablishingpersonalrelationships.Thepurposeofnegotiationsistoestablishanddeveloplongtermpartnerships.Thesigningofcontractsrepresentsthebeginningoflong-termreciprocalcooperation.Beingthehost,theyarenoteagertostartthenegotiation,butratherhaveenoughpatiencetogettoknowandunderstandtheircounterparts.Theytrytocommunicateandachievemutualunderstandingthroughsocialactivitiessuchasdinners,sightseeingandshoppingsoastocreategoodenvironmentfornegotiationsandtoestablishlong-termandstrongrelationships.
Harmonyiseverything
Chinesepeoplebelievethatharmonybringswealthandthusprefertonegotiatebusinessdealingsinanamicableandfriendlyenvironment.Therefore,theyarerarelyhaughtytowardothersinnegotiations.Theyusuallyspeakhumblyandreservedlyeventhoughtheyareexpertsincertainareas.Althoughtheymaybehavehumbleinfrontoftheircounterparts,itdoesn’tmeanthattheyarelaymenorlackconfidence.Theydonotexpresstheiropinionsordecisionsdirectly,butdosoinaroundaboutway.
Chinesepeopletaketheirpublic“faces”veryseriouslybecausetheir“faces”representdignityandprestige.Theyrarelyshunothersdirectlybecausetheyfeelthatsuchbehaviormaycauseotherstoloseface.WhennegotiatingwithChinesepeople,youshouldrespecttheirfeelingsaswellastheirwayofdealingwithpeople.Bydoingso,thingswillbecomemucheasierthanyoufirstexpected.
Chinesepeopleareveryattentiveandgenerouswhenhostingtheirguests.Theyoftenexpressthisthroughgiftsorhostingtheguestswiththeutmostrespectandsincerity.AlmosteverypersonvisitingChinafeelssuchpassion.Chinesepeopleliketoexchangepersonalgreetingsandpayattentiontocourtesybecausetheywantyoutofeelhappy.Thatiswhatismeantby“harmonyiseverything.”
AneditedexcerptfromWheninChina:AGuidetoChineseBusinessCulturepublishedbySinolinguaCo.Ltd.