Organiser et avoir des réunions avec les contre-parties chinoises peuvent être un processus différent que vous pourriez voir dehors à l'ouest. Le processus est plus lisse si vous avez déjà un rapport avec le peuple à l'avance. S'ils ne sont pas au courant de toi ou de votre compagnie, elle est la meilleure pour fournir autant information de fond comme possible. Ceci leur permet de décider si avoir la réunion aussi bien que qui devrait participer. C'est important, puisqu'il signifie que les décideurs appropriés peuvent être présents. À la différence des réunions occidentales, il est dans votre intérêt d'évoquer le sujet de la réunion et de toutes les questions à discuter à l'avance, de sorte qu'aucune surprise ne soit évoquée au cours de la réunion. De nouveau, ceci permet à l'autre partie de préparer leurs propres vues avant la réunion elle-même. Non suivant ce protocole peut avoir comme conséquence vos propositions étant reçues avec le silence, car le temps serait alors nécessaire pour les considérer dans privé.

Vous pouvez constater que des réunions chinoises sont souvent prévues à la dernière minute. Même où l'un ou l'autre côté propose une réunion bien avant une date particulière, les détails toujours habituellement ne sont pas confirmés jusqu'à juste avant la réunion. Ceci est fait pour éviter les changements ou les annulations de dernière minute.

Une fois que la réunion commence, elle est la meilleure pour arriver à l'heure - pas trop tôt et certainement pas trop tard. Si vous finissez vers le haut tard, soyez sûr de faire des excuses profusément pour éviter l'impression qu'il y avait toute intention dans votre tardiveté. En entrant dans un lieu de réunion, il est commun pour que les délégués chinois suivent un ordre luxuriant avec le plus haut fonctionnaire de rang entrant d'abord (particulièrement pour des réunions faisant participer des fonctionnaires de gouvernement). Puisqu'un sur les réunions une sont habituellement rare, il peut y a un entourage des participants. Supposez que tels non présentées ne sont pas une partie du procédé de décision, mais présent juste comme témoins ou aides.

Comme lors des réunions occidentales, il est sage de s'engager dans un certain petit entretien dans le commencement pour accumuler la confiance, particulièrement quand les parties ne se connaissent pas bien. Les Chinois préfèrent faire des affaires avec ceux qu'ils savent, ainsi il est intéressant de cultiver cet aspect d'abord. You may notice that a few key individuals have been assigned to participate in the meeting, while the rest usually remain silent for the majority of the meeting. After the initial small talk, the host of the meeting will usually welcome the invitees and either present the topic at hand or invite the proposer of the meeting to do so.

The Chinese usually prefer to be on the defensive or receiving side of matters. This allows them to combine their preparation of the meeting beforehand, with time to react to the proposals brought forward by the other party. During the meeting, it is common for Chinese to use grunts or nods as signs of acknowledgment of what is being said during the meeting. Don’t mistake this for acceptance, as it is just a tacid acknowledgment and doesn’t necessarily suggest agreement. Unlike normal conversations, the dialogs in meetings tend to be more structured with each side taking turns. As a result, it is common to let the other party do the talking without interrupting until it is your turn, at which point you can go through their points one by one. During this portion, expect them to take detailed notes that may be referred to on later dates or shared with other parties who may have not attended the meeting. Like in all interactions with Chinese people, it is of crucial importance never to put them on the spot or allow them to lose face.

Towards the end of the meeting, it is best to summarize your understanding of the situation to make sure both parties are clear where things stand. At this point, you can set up a future meeting. The Chinese party’s response here, will let you gauge their interest in continuing things.

Note: For more detailed descriptions of the points in this article, read “Chinese Business Etiquette” by Scott D. Seligman.

When it comes to etiquette and ways of doing things, there are some key differences between how the Chinese operate versus how Westerners do so. In the latter world, being polite makes you stand out from the crowd. In the Chinese world, politeness is part of a basic set of principles that has to be followed by all. Any deviation from these principles makes you stand out in a negative way. You can see this when you are offered a choice of drink before a meeting or when visiting someone’s house. Even if you politely decline, you will still be offered tea as the default. As the guest, you are allowed to sit through the entire visit without even touching the cup, since the host was just doing his duty by offering it to you, despite your personal preference to decline.

During group meetings, a Westerner is more likely to bring up arguments or disagree with the topic at hand. Chinese values would require the person to keep his opinions to himself in such an environments. Any disagreements he may have with a speaker could be brought up later in a more private forum, giving the speaker face in the process. Understanding this nature within Chinese people is important, since it is easy to otherwise assume that their silence indicates agreement. In some cases, a third party may be used to convey negative news from one side to another, in order to avoid confrontations.

This same situation can also be observed in personal relationships between a Westerner and a Chinese, where the latter’s silence on matters and propensity to not confront, could erroneously suggest to the former that all is well in the relationship, when that might not be the case. (Personal note: I have experienced this first hand, when a former girlfriend broke up with me out of the blue, when I thought all was well. When I asked for more details, she came up with a list of issues that she had never mentioned during the relationship, all out of a desire to not induce confrontation). Not being up front with your opinions and ideas might be considered rude in Western culture, whereas in Chinese culture it is considered polite, since by doing so they are allowing you to save face.

Another big difference in thinking between Chinese and Western societies is the difference between “friends” and “strangers.” Assistance between Chinese parties is only given to those in the “inner circle” which is why the concept of guanxi is so important. This is also why it is so important to keep making contacts in order to enter the circles of others. The flip side of this, is that help is rarely given to strangers or people without any relationship. You rarely see beggars on the streets in Chinese communities, and those you do see are usually seen approaching foreigners, whome they are more likely to get assistance from. It is also common for people to not stop and help others during vehicle accidents, so as not to get involved with people they don’t know.

Where a Chinese person does assist one of his friends (whether directly or indirectly), this assistance is noted by both sides. An equivalent payback of some sorts is then expected in the future. During weddings and occasions where red envelopes are exchanged, the amounts of money given and the donors are duly noted since the same amount would be expected to be paid back at future events. Chinese New Year (which is coming up soon) is useful for clearing “debts” among friends in this manner.

The conclusion from all of this, when comparing Chinese versus their Western counterparts, is that the former are more likely to go out of their way to help friends and people in their circle of influence, whereas the latter are more likely to go out and help strangers. Understanding this culture is very valuable in determining where assistance should be given to others, as well as what is expected of you if you receive it. When rejecting others’ offers or requests of help, it is best to do so with a polite excuse rather than a flat out refusal, in order to maintain the dignity of the relationship.