Doing Business in China (Part 1, Pre-Meeting)

Do (Know)

When doing business in China, the male dress code is a dark suit and tie.
From the Chinese perspective, a female should wear a skirt instead of trousers because it looks more professional and intelligent.
Even on a hot day, a female should wear a higher neckline and stockings.
When invited to a banquet or party, you strive to look your very best.
Do know that Chinese people often will be late.
Chinese companies will only see if you have an appointment with them, and they only do business with a well-known company.
Before coming to China for business, you should hire a diplomat to represent your company overseas.
The embassy is the best place to hire a representative.
Do make an appointment 3 weeks or a month ahead of time.

Don't

A male never wear bright colors or white in a meeting.
Also, males should avoid wearing white shoes or white (sport) socks. White represents funerals.
Never be late.
Do not look at your watch too often in a business meeting.
Try to avoid making an appointment in the beginning of February (Chinese New Year).
Don't expect to finish everything you want to do in one trip.
Often, you may need to stay longer than you expected. You should not buy a return ticket beforehand.

Um... What to wear?

If you are doing business in China sometime in the future, there are a couple of things worth looking into before showing up for the meeting. I know some of these are common sense, but it's good to go through them together. On this page, we will only look at what to do before a business meeting starts. So why don't you just relax, loosen your tie or take off your shoes, and we shall begin.

First, there is a dress code and sorry you cannot dress like in the Kung Fu movies. Formal dress for both man and woman is a must. For man, a black suit and tie should always be ready in the closet.

However, never wear a white (or brightly colored) suit into a meeting because the color white is for funerals. And yes, this also includes white socks or shoes. So, there you have it, white (sport) socks are uncool for both Western and Eastern cultures.

For women, it is a little more complicated. A skirt is more acceptable than trousers, simply because a skirt is labeled as a more intelligent outfit. Even on a hot summer day, woman should always wear a high neckline and no open shoes (like sandals).

If it is hard for you to find clothes that are suitable for business, you can check out some of the Chinese traditional clothes. I hear that some of designers have come out with something for business attire. This way you can enjoy the culture as well as working.

As you read a couple of my entries from before (an attempt to promote my website), you may know that Chinese people does not finish deals in a business place but at a party or banquet.

So, if you get invited to a banquet or gathering, please, do try to look your utmost best. This is where the business people saying "make it happen" will happen.

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