Things you need to know for business & everyday life in China! 1. Respect the business card. The Chinese place a great deal of emphasis on the formality of exchanging business cards. When Chinese individuals give their cards to someone, they often present it with both hands. To be courteous, you should receive business cards with both hands. Never put the card away immediately in your wallet or briefcase. Rather, place the card on the table or hold it in your hand for some time to acknowledge it and show that you care to know who they are. The Chinese are a very status-conscious people. Make an effort to recognize people’s rank in their organizations. Make sure that you have plenty of business cards of your own before you go to China. It is advisable to translate your name and title into Chinese. Everything else can stay in English. 2. Smile. Don’t look too serious. A smile to the Chinese is like a handshake among Westerners. It is the most common means of communication in China when people meet. The Chinese view a smile as a friendly gesture. Smiling is universal in China. In short, a smile is not a sign of weakness. So don’t look too serious—you may get off on the wrong foot. 3. Learn to talk “metric.” For technical professionals, it is important to be conversant in both metric and English measurements. Present your charts, tables, data, and transparencies in both English and metric units. Your audience will appreciate and understand you better this way. 4. Don’t expect much eye contact. Americans expect steady eye contact when talking with people. This is a behavior considered basic and essential. But it is not the case in China. For the Chinese, a lack of steady eye contact is not an indication of lack of attention or respect. On the contrary, because of the authoritarian nature of the Chinese society, steady eye contact is viewed as inappropriate, especially when subordinates talk with their superiors. Eye contact is sometimes viewed as a gesture of challenge or defiance; so the Chinese often talk while looking downward. 5. Make friends first, do business later. Americans pride themselves on getting straight to the point. We want to cut to the chase. We haven’t got all day. This is not the Chinese way at all. The Chinese like small talk and pleasantries. They want to learn more about you. Initial meetings are rarely expected to produce results. One salesman took seven trips before he got a retailer to carry his merchandise. A Chinese chief engineer told my client that he should make friend