Christopher Crosby offers ten tips to succeed in China:

• Spend time developing guanxi – personal contacts/relationships involving mutual cooperation and support.

• Remember that “saving face” – mianzi – is critical to the Chinese. Causing someone to lose face will result in a loss of trust in the relationship.

• Expect negotiations to continue even after an agreement has been signed.

• Be as adaptable as you can be.

• Being punctual for appointments and smartly dressed is a sign of respect.

• Use a soft sell approach, but expect very hard bargaining from the Chinese.

• Expect negotiations to be carried out in large groups, never one on one.

• Don’t be in too much of a hurry. Be prepared to stay as long as is necessary.

• Respect the hierarchy at all times. Decisions are made from the top, and you may find information sharing is limited within organizations.

• Expect warm hospitality and business entertaining from your Chinese hosts; they are a vital part of developing guanxi.