Chinese business culture is polite, hierarchical and relationship-driven, but it is not as opaque as stereotypes suggest. Most of what you need to know fits on one page: show respect for seniority, honour the host, do not force decisions on the first meeting, and learn a handful of small gestures that tell your Chinese counterpart you have done your homework. Chengdu culture is slightly warmer and less formal than Beijing or Shanghai, but the underlying rules still apply.
The single most common mistake foreign visitors make is treating the first meeting as a decision-making meeting. In China, the first meeting is usually about building trust. Expect tea, small talk about your flight, your hotel, the weather and mutual contacts. The actual deal is negotiated later, often after a meal. Rushing to slide a contract across the table on day one signals naivety.
Ten practical rules
- Business cards: present and receive with both hands. Read the card you are given; do not slip it into a pocket without looking.
- Seating: in a meeting room, the highest-ranked Chinese host faces the door or sits in the centre of the near side; the matching guest sits opposite. Wait to be seated.
- Handshakes: firm but not crushing; a slight bow of the head is polite. Expect a pause before the Chinese side initiates.
- Speaking: let the most senior Chinese person speak first. Use a quiet, even tone; avoid open disagreement in the room.
- Silence: Chinese negotiators may pause. Do not fill the gap with new concessions.
- Face: never embarrass a counterpart in front of their team. Deliver criticism privately and gently.
- Decisions: expect internal consultation; a yes at the table is not a signed contract.
- Gifts: modest, wrapped, not obviously expensive. Avoid clocks, umbrellas and white flowers; these carry unlucky connotations.
- Dress: business suit for first meetings; jackets optional after repeated visits.
- Follow-up: send a short email or WeChat note the same day summarising what you heard, not what you want.
Practical Information
- Address: most first meetings happen in hotel lobby tea rooms or the meeting floors of office towers in Financial City and Tianfu New Area.
- Transport: arrive 10 minutes early; Chengdu traffic can double the trip time without warning.
- Opening Hours: business meetings usually 09:30-11:30 or 14:30-17:30; avoid lunchtime.
- Cost: tea or coffee at a business hotel lobby is roughly ¥50-120 per person.
- Tips: download WeChat and add your counterpart before the meeting. Most Chinese executives run their work life on it.
For foreign business visitors
Learn two phrases: Xièxiè (thank you) and He zuò yú kuài (happy cooperation). Use them sparingly. Bring twice the number of business cards you think you need, printed in English on one side and Chinese on the other. Do not expect immediate answers; a thoughtful pause is a sign of respect, not disinterest. Above all, treat your Chinese counterpart as a long-term partner, not a transaction.
WeChat, timing and follow-up
Chinese executives rarely use email for day-to-day business. They run their working lives on WeChat, and being absent from it makes you invisible. Install it before your trip, verify your phone number, and use it to share agendas, meeting notes and photographs from the meal afterwards. Respect the working rhythm: messages after 22:00 on a weekday are generally tolerated, but do not expect an instant reply at weekends. When you send a follow-up note, write in short paragraphs with a clear subject line; long English emails are often left unanswered. During a multi-party meeting, note who speaks in what order; that pecking order will reappear at the banquet. If you are hosting, learn the Chinese names of your guests before the meeting; writing them on a tent card shows respect that almost no foreign visitor bothers with. These small gestures cost nothing and open doors that a slide deck never will.
