Thanks to the China's rapid development, French businessmen are more and more interested in importation to the country. It could thus be an advantage to set up subsidiaries in China.
Though, French people are generally considered reliable by Chinese people, they still need to adapt themselves to the culture of the Chinese people during negotiations with them. They need to find a good way to approach them without shocking them.
When foreigner businessmen with different cultures, different languages, different habits, and different values negotiate together, they must reach a mix of both cultures to create a good environment. This will facilitate the process of negotiation, and people will be more comfortable.
To demonstrate how to be successful in a negotiation with Chinese people, we need to consider three aspects: words to speak, the behavior to adopt, and the things which cannot be done. We wish to make it clear that we will base our analysis on a "win/win" negotiation. Indeed, we have defined this negotiation in the logic of a joint-venture. The result of the meeting will be an agreement rather than a confrontation between two parts.
[...] The first piece of advice for people, who want to negotiate in China, is to let the Chinese correspondent feel welcome. They prefer to be greeted first. During the negotiation, you need to be stoical, that is to say, you should not express your feelings. In China, a very important thing is to use your “Guanxi”. Trade relations are based on personal contacts and relations. That's why, in the beginning Chinese businessmen will ask you questions about yourself, and sometimes, these may be quite personal. [...]
[...] When you conclude, Chinese businessmen will invite you to a restaurant for a karaoke. Don't refuse to go there, as they could take offence. You need to be careful about the Chinese definition of the word “contract”, which could be quite different from the western definition. Chinese people could negotiate it even after it is signed. When you signed the “contract”, you must not allow an advantage at the last minute. In China, the biggest contracts are signed during “Public holidays” or “Days to put pressure on you. [...]
[...] You need to take notes about the meeting, but must protect your information on your computer. Do not keep important documents on your computer, and codify your information, because they are very curious, and they don't hesitate to steal your data. Things which cannot be done When you negotiate with Chinese people, don't forget that, since China's expansion, Chinese people feel superior to foreign people, because the rest of the world is now increasingly dependent on China. Moreover, we need to avoid a lot of things if we want to succeed in the negotiation. [...]
[...] To sum up, the rhythm of a negotiation with Chinese people is rather calm. At first, each part observes and sizes up the other. Chinese people begin slowly to out you under pressure. They keep the most important questions for the end of the negotiation to obtain more concessions from you. Consequently, you always need to take the necessary time to conclude agreements. When each part has obtained its requirements, and all technical points have been discussed and negotiated, you can deal with the most delicate points such as the future strategies understanding and the price. [...]
[...] With respect to your ideas, you must not explain your point of view with a general idea. This means to say that when you describe an idea, you need to talk with particulars examples and not with generality. You should not seem to be giving a lecture, and you need to be very faithful. You should always be diplomatic, and chose your words and your sentences. You can't talk about important subjects like politics or religion. When you negotiate you should not be aggressive and provoking, as it could cancel the climate of trust. [...]
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