Business & Personal Relations In China Podcast
SupChina recently released a podcast with host Chris Marquis featuring Robert Fisch as his guest. Robert is a master storyteller and he draws on his diverse experiences in China to illustrate some key principles that businesses can learn from, such as the importance of personal relations and the human touch when doing business in China. And he also provides some very practical advice on many topics from setting up a wholly foreign-owned entity (WFOE) to how business in China has shifted in the COVID era.
Guan Xi, the key to business success in China
While the Chinese business market is constantly modernizing, adapting, and growing; there is still a concept of immense cultural importance that has governed Chinese business practices for many years. The notion of 关系 (Guan Xi) is essential for any company to understand if they intend on doing business in China. At its core, guan xi is about building relationships. Trust is crucial to business success in China, and it is something that does not come quickly. While it may seem counterintuitive in the current fast-paced business environment of the United States, a great deal of relationship building in China exists outside of conference calls and boardroom meetings. In China, face to face interaction helps build a kind of trust that simply cannot be acquired through only communicating through a phone speaker halfway across the world. Because of the integral part that guanxi plays in Chinese business; it is essential for an American company hoping to do business in China to make sure that they have a strong understanding of Chinese culture in order to build a strong relationship with Chinese businesses.