4 weird things should know about doing business in china

4 WEIRD THINGS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DOING

BUSINESS IN CHINA

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For additional information about Business with China

please visit www.China-Business-Connect.com

www.China-Business-Connect.com

With the modern Chinese business culture only being 20 years old there are many traditions that are still deeply rooted.

Add to this relatively young economic superpower, the fact that it is poised to become the world leader in business and you have a country that is ripe with possible partnerships.

There are still nuances that will continue into the foreseeable future about doing business in China and here are 4 weird things to keep in mind.

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1. DON’T PUT BUSINESS CARDS IN YOUR SHIRT POCKET WHEN YOU RECEIVE THEM

The respect that is shown to business cards may be strange for business people of the Western culture, but there is a specific manner to receive and present business cards in China.

When you are giving out your cards you are supposed to use two hands, add a slight bow, and start with the most senior member of the group.

Upon receipt you are supposed to lay it on the table in front of you and take a second to admire it before putting it away.

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2. A FOLDED CHECK IS WORTH ONLY THE PAPER

Even if the check is made out for a million dollars, the bank won’t accept it if it happens to be folded.

They sell specific check holders that will help to keep the edges crisp and encourage your Chinese business partners to sign in black ink, if they don’t already, as there are still many tellers that will make a fuss over any other color; including blue.

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3. RECEIPT FIRST, MONEY SECOND, TAXES ALWAYS

With the word for invoice and receipt being the same in Chinese, many customers will expect a tax receipt before they process the payment.

Be careful though as taxes are paid monthly regardless of the fact that the customers have paid or not, which can be a cash-flow headache if you don’t account for this discrepancy.

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4. FOREIGNERS WILL HAVE TO PAY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

In 2011, a new law stated that anyone that receives a salary within China must pay into the unemployment benefits.

This would be justifiable if you could receive these benefits but if you have a work visa and then lose the work, you lose the visa, which means that there is no way for you to collect on the unemployment.

Thankfully this law isn’t being enforced yet, but with a retroactive clause it could cost you if you are not paying attention.

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For additional information about Business with China please visit www.China-Business-Connect.com