Relationships & Communication

The Chinese don't like doing business with companies they don't know, so working through an intermediary is crucial. This could be an individual or an organization who can make a formal introduction and vouch for the reliability of your company.
.  Before arriving in China send materials (written in Chinese) that describe your company, its history, and literature about your products and services. The Chinese often use intermediaries to ask questions that they would prefer not to make directly.
. Business relationships are built formally after the Chinese get to know you.
Be very patient. It takes a considerable amount of time and is bound up with enormous bureaucracy.

The Chinese see foreigners as representatives of their company rather than as individuals.

Rank is extremely important in business relationships and you must keep rank differences in mind when communicating. Gender bias is nonexistent in business.
Never lose sight of the fact that communication is official, especially in dealing with someone of higher rank. Treating them too informally, especially in front of their peers, may well ruin a potential deal.
The Chinese prefer face-to-face meetings rather than written or telephonic communication.
Meals and social events are not the place for business discussions. There is a demarcation between business and socializing in China, so try to be careful not to intertwine the two.