Tuesday
Some tips for your China trip
Visa to Enter China
If you are coming to China for just a few days, a tourist visa is sufficient. In this case, it is not necessary to apply for a business visa which requires invitation letters. If you want to get a one year multiple entry business visa, then you will need an invitation letter from a Chinese company. Also, you can apply for a 3 day temporary visa at the Zhuhai or Shenzhen borders.
We recommended that you get your China visa in your home country before arriving in China. You can contact your local Chinese embassy or a local travel agency for details.
Alternatively, you can fly to Hong Kong without a visa and apply for a China visa there. You can ask your hotel or a travel agency there for details. Also, you can go to the Chinese Consulate directly. In HK the Chinese Consulate is located in the China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai. The entrance is located on the side of the building and you must get in the line as early as possible. They are limiting the number of visas issued each day so you may have to wait another 24 hours if you get there late.
Language
English is not an official language in China, but many young people in the big cities can speak some English. So, we recommend that you bring a Chinese friend to be your interpreter when you are in China.
Hotels
Chinese hotels are generally not expensive; the prices range from $30 to $100 per night for a decent hotel. But, you need to book your hotel in advance to get a discount. If you go to the hotel directly, especially for a good hotel, you cannot get a discount. For some small hotels, there is no need to book in advance. You can just walk around until you find an economic hotel.
Food
Chinese food is almost always delicious. A dinner usually costs from $3 to $10.
Transportation
Subways are primarily only available in big cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The city bus is cheap, but it is very slow due to much traffic. Furthermore, it may be difficult for you to know where to get off the bus because most street signs are in Chinese. Taxi is the best way for a traveler, because it is inexpensive. But most taxi drivers do not speak English, so you better show the driver a piece of paper with your destination written in Chinese.
Shopping
It is better for you to go to shopping with a Chinese friend, otherwise the seller will ask for a high price unless you buy from the supermarket. So, you need to learn to bargain with Chinese sellers. One effective way is to just walk away after offering a low price. If the seller calls you back, it is an indication that he is likely to make a deal with you.
Wednesday
Canton Fair to focus on home turf
By Diao Ying (China Daily)
The country's largest trading expo, China Import and Export Fair, is shifting its focus to the domestic market as demand in the overseas markets has shrunk and exports have declined for five months in a row.
Exhibitors, who normally target foreign buyers, have been invited to showcase their products for the domestic market, said Mu Xinhai, spokesman for China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair.
The 105th session of the fair, which starts in Guangzhou today, has also managed to get domestic buyers, including businessmen from large shopping malls, chain stores, and wholesale markets to participate in the fair, said Mu.
He said the fair, which normally has three phases, would devote a day from both the second and the third phases specifically for dealers from the domestic market to do business.
The Canton Fair, established in 1952, was mainly organized to showcase Chinese products to overseas buyers. But it has reinvented itself as some exporters have shifted their focus to the domestic market as many of the erstwhile global trading partners have slipped into a recession.
"The financial crisis has shown that if an enterprise does not have a good foundation in the domestic market, it will be hard for them to be strong in exports," said Wen Zhongliang, an official with the Ministry of Commerce.
China's exports have declined five months in a row. Exports declined 17.1 percent in March, after a sharp drop of 25.7 percent in February.
According to Mu, the number of exhibitors at the event has decreased slightly, but the overall scale of the fair still remains the same. Sources, however, maintain that there would be a decline in the foreign participation at the fair.
The Guangzhou Hotels' Association had earlier said room rates in the city would be 20 percent lower this time than previous years due to a decline in reservations.
The country's largest trading expo, China Import and Export Fair, is shifting its focus to the domestic market as demand in the overseas markets has shrunk and exports have declined for five months in a row.
Exhibitors, who normally target foreign buyers, have been invited to showcase their products for the domestic market, said Mu Xinhai, spokesman for China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair.
The 105th session of the fair, which starts in Guangzhou today, has also managed to get domestic buyers, including businessmen from large shopping malls, chain stores, and wholesale markets to participate in the fair, said Mu.
He said the fair, which normally has three phases, would devote a day from both the second and the third phases specifically for dealers from the domestic market to do business.
The Canton Fair, established in 1952, was mainly organized to showcase Chinese products to overseas buyers. But it has reinvented itself as some exporters have shifted their focus to the domestic market as many of the erstwhile global trading partners have slipped into a recession.
"The financial crisis has shown that if an enterprise does not have a good foundation in the domestic market, it will be hard for them to be strong in exports," said Wen Zhongliang, an official with the Ministry of Commerce.
China's exports have declined five months in a row. Exports declined 17.1 percent in March, after a sharp drop of 25.7 percent in February.
According to Mu, the number of exhibitors at the event has decreased slightly, but the overall scale of the fair still remains the same. Sources, however, maintain that there would be a decline in the foreign participation at the fair.
The Guangzhou Hotels' Association had earlier said room rates in the city would be 20 percent lower this time than previous years due to a decline in reservations.
Monday
China Business Negotiation Tips
There is a lot that goes into China business negotiations. Here are some useful tips to increase the probability of succeeding when negotiating with the Chinese companies:
1. Be patient and spend time building relations. In the meantime one should not forget how fast things can shift in China. Be prepared to act quickly if opportunity knocks.
2. Take the Chinese bargaining culture into consideration. Make sure you always have something more to bring to the table.
3. Always remember the 'home' advantage. Invite your Chinese partners to your country or in-country corporate offices.
4. Focus on the informal negotiations that go on all the time. Do not use up all of your energy on what’s going on during for formal negotiations. Remember that most things can be negotiated and re-negotiated.
5. Double-check all the information you receive with your own Chinese connections. It is not always true when someone says that "this is impossible in China".
6. Look at the contract as an agreement of intention that needs continuous follow up.
Make sure you are communicating with the right person – the one who makes the decisions. If you fail to do so you might risk that while you think you are negotiating, you are actually just giving out information.
7. Keep in mind the Chinese notion of giving face. Do not embarrass your Chinese relations. Focus on giving face.
8. Keep in mind that your temper is an efficient tool when you feel the need to draw your line.
Before you do business in China you need to get at least one Chinese contact that you trust 100% and who is willing to help you.
Negotiations in China is a tough thing to master. But with enough practice and a little preparation, you'll do fine. I hope the above tips help you out on your next trip to China.
1. Be patient and spend time building relations. In the meantime one should not forget how fast things can shift in China. Be prepared to act quickly if opportunity knocks.
2. Take the Chinese bargaining culture into consideration. Make sure you always have something more to bring to the table.
3. Always remember the 'home' advantage. Invite your Chinese partners to your country or in-country corporate offices.
4. Focus on the informal negotiations that go on all the time. Do not use up all of your energy on what’s going on during for formal negotiations. Remember that most things can be negotiated and re-negotiated.
5. Double-check all the information you receive with your own Chinese connections. It is not always true when someone says that "this is impossible in China".
6. Look at the contract as an agreement of intention that needs continuous follow up.
Make sure you are communicating with the right person – the one who makes the decisions. If you fail to do so you might risk that while you think you are negotiating, you are actually just giving out information.
7. Keep in mind the Chinese notion of giving face. Do not embarrass your Chinese relations. Focus on giving face.
8. Keep in mind that your temper is an efficient tool when you feel the need to draw your line.
Before you do business in China you need to get at least one Chinese contact that you trust 100% and who is willing to help you.
Negotiations in China is a tough thing to master. But with enough practice and a little preparation, you'll do fine. I hope the above tips help you out on your next trip to China.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)