Chinese for Business Blog

“What would you like?” the breakfast vendor outside of the subway asked me. She expertly flipped some Chinese pancakes (known as 煎饼 jiān bǐng) as she impatiently waited for my response. 

A mobile game about a traveling frog is a huge hit in China, despite being available in Japanese.

Disney has chosen Liu YiFei, who also goes by Crystal Liu, to play Hua Mulan. Apparently the search was intensive, as THR reports that casting directors visited five continents and saw over 1,000 candidates to find the perfect actress. Not only did the role require English and Mandarin speaking skills, but also called for “credible martial arts skills” and “star quality.”

Networking is important to any professional who wants to make the most of work experience in China, where connections, or "guanxi," are the cornerstone of doing business effectively. As networking events are becoming more popular in major Chinese cities, so are the more relaxed or open networking practices of Western culture, especially among the younger generation. Although Western business practices are outwardly embraced by in China, it is worth noting that people respond to interpersonal communications both consciously and subconsciously. Embracing Chinese cultural communication styles is likely to help you connect with Chinese attendees, especially those of senior status who might not feel comfortable speaking English. The following 10 Chinese networking phrases will better prepare you to engage potential Chinese business connections at your next networking event.

Related: How To Find A Job In China

In 2016, a wave of anger swept across the globe as millions of jobs in manufacturing disappeared. While globalization was often blamed, even in China, the country that has perhaps benefitted the most from global trade in recent years, the same trend faces its working class with up to 77 percent of jobs reported to be at risk to automation. The Chinese government is supporting this shift toward automation as the solution to the country's loss of competitive advantage in cheap labor, which has been diminished by a growing middle class and aging population. In Guangdong province, a manufacturing hub, municipal governments have approved a 150-billion-dollar plan to realize Xi Jinping's proposed "robot revolution" in manufacturing. As China transitions from a manufacturing to a service economy with the help of industrial robotics, questions remain as to how the government will manage to reskill the millions of people who currently rely on manufacturing jobs and supply them with middle-class incomes.

Learning how to use Chinese well can help you develop trust with your boss or manager by demonstrating that you are invested in Chinese culture and in working in a Chinese company. While it's not necessary to be fluent to be successful in China, knowing the right phrases and when to say them can go a long way towards developing your relationship with boss (老板 lǎobǎn), manager (经理 jīnglǐ), or "leaders" (领导 lǐngdǎo), as lower-level supervisors are sometimes called. Success in many industries in China is dependent on relationships, so do your best to make the most of contact with the senior ranking members of the company.  

Related: 7 Chinese Phrases For Business To Make You Sound Humble