When meeting very traditional Chinese people, it is usually the case that Chinese make a concerted effort to show respect and honor to you as a guest, new friend or business associate.The customary greetings in China are generally informal outside the business environment a smile and nod of the head or simple hello is enough will on business shaking of the hands has become increasingly popular.
Introductions - Chinese introductions can be friendly and relaxed or very formal, even austere. Chinese may not smile when introduced, as they are taught to not show emotions openly. When you are introduced to a Chinese group, they may greet you with applause to show appreciation and respect for your presence with them. Applaud back.
Respecting Seniority - The Chinese show great respect for the wisdom and experience of its seniors. The senior people present will initiate the greetings. Greet the oldest, most senior person before any others. Paying attention to and making an effort to communicate with the senior members of the group will be greatly appreciated. In group introductions, line up according to seniority with the senior people at the head of the line.
Formality - Use family names and appropriate titles until specifically invited by your Chinese host or colleagues to use their given names. You are unlikely to be on a first-name basis with your Chinese counterparts until your relationship is established.
Names - Traditionally, Chinese family names are placed first, followed by the given name, which may have either one or two syllables. For "Chan Xiaoping," "Chan" is the family name, "Xiaoping" the given name. Never address a Chinese by his or her family name alone. You would not do the same English. For example, never address "Li Pang" as just "Li" just as you would not address John Haskins as "Haskins". Chinese may call close friends and family members by their given names. "Wang Chien" may be addressed by close friends as "Chien". Now however, most of the people you will come into contact with, especially for international business will already have an English name making it easier for you to remember and pronounce names.
Be Aware - Never use the term "comrade" to address someone in English. If you are speaking Chinese, comrade is "tongshi", often used for example to mean "coworker" or "associate" and may be used. Among themselves, Chinese may call you quei lou, lao wai ("foreign devil" or "barbarian") or in cantonese speaking parts gwai lo (literally "white ghost"). If you happen to notice this, don't take it personally. While these terms for foreigners are condescending, they are applied to foreigners generally and reflect China's traditional view of itself as the "Middle Kingdom," or center of the world. So, again, if you are referred to as "lao wai" you are not being insulted.
Business Cards - Business cards in only English should be sufficient but you may want to get cards printed in English on one side and Chinese on the other. Make sure the Chinese side uses "simplified" characters and not the "classical" characters used in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
In China the exchange of business cards is very important and more formal than most countries. When exchanging business cards, hold out your card using both hands with the writing facing the recipient. Cards should always be exchanged individually (one-on-one). Never toss or "deal" your business cards across the table, as this is considered extremely rude. Receive a business card with both hands and scan it immediately for vital information. Then lay the card in front of you on the table. It is demeaning to put someone's card directly into your pocket without looking at it first.
Crowds, Pushing, Shoving, etc. - The concept of lining up, or queuing, is not known to the Chinese. Frequently, a Chinese person will walk to the front of a crowd to ask for what they want. No one will complain. People will push in large crowds and do not mind being crowded, or bumped. Chinese people are used to being crowded in stores, busses, elevators, etc. Occasionally you will sense that someone has been bumped too directly and you should simply express "sorry" or "duibuqi" and continue on. "duibuqi" is also used to mean "excuse me" if you want to pass by someone.
Do Not Touch - Amongst themselves, same sex touching in public is common and has no sexual overtones. Two females may be walking along the street holding hands or arms locked together. Two males will often have one with his arm draped around the other or one taking the other's arm as they are walking along. As total strangers who do not know you, Chinese dislike being touched. They will be uncomfortable with your touches, hugs, back slaps or other types of contact. Once you are familiar with a Chinese person, they may feel very comfortable to take your hand or arm when guiding you along the street or talking to you.
Hands - Never point with your index finger. Chinese point with an open hand. Never use your index finger to beckon anyone. To beckon someone, face the palm of your hand downward and move your fingers in a scratching motion. Snapping fingers is considered very rude.
Feet - In China, people are more aware of the fact that the public ground is dirty and unhealthy.One of the reasons for this is because spitting is a common hygienic habit amongst traditional Chinese people. Most Chinese remove their shoes before entering their home and would request you do the same. Consequently, it is easy to understand that shoes are considered dirty. Therefore, never put your feet up on a desk or a chair and never cross your leg so as to have the bottom of your foot toward a person.
Noses - Blowing one's nose in a handkerchief and returning it to one's pocket is considered vulgar by the Chinese. It is common for Chinese to spit and blow their nose (without a handkerchief) on a public street. This is not considered rude in traditional China. In the modernized cities, there are public awareness efforts to stop these habits.
Style - Unpretentious, modest clothing is the norm, but trendy clothes and fancy fabrics are making a comeback. Young people are more interested in wearing Western styles of clothing.
Dressing Appropriately - Warm clothing, hats, thick-soled shoes and sweaters are essential in winter in northern China. Toilets are often "squat" style. Women especially should dress accordingly. To be sure, carry a pack of tissues with you. Women should also avoid shorts, bare backs, low-cut tops and extravagant jewelry. On the other hand, if you are a foreigner, Chinese are usually tolerant and understanding that this is your foreign cultural style.
Business - Men: Sport coats and ties. Pants and open-necked shirts are generally suitable in the summer for business meetings jackets and ties are not necessary. Follow the local custom. Women: Dresses or pant suits. No heavy make-up and no dangling, gaudy jewelry. Wear subtle colors and styles.
Restaurant/Banquet
- Men: Jackets should be worn at a banquet, but may be removed during
dinner in the summer. Jackets and ties may be more comfortable in
cold weather.
Women: Simple, floor-length dresses or pants. Pants and pant suits
are acceptable even on formal occasions.
Casual - Men: Pants, short- or long-sleeved, open-necked shirts. Women: Pants, blouses. Modest clothing.
If is appropriate to bring a gift, particularly something representative of your town or region, to a business meeting or social event. Gifts indicate that you are interested in building a relationship. A gift should always be wrapped, but avoid plain black or white paper because these are the colors of mourning. Present the gift with both hands as a sign of courtesy and always mention that this is only a small token of appreciation. Do not expect your gift to be opened in your presence. This indicates that it is the thought that counts more than the material value.
Suggested Gifts
- Cognac or other French brandy, Pens, Lighters, Desk accessories,
Decorative items for the home, Western-grown ginseng (a popular
gift in China), Calculators and watches (for younger people or children).
Lucky numbera are 6 (similar pronounciation as luck) and 8 (similar
pronounciation as wealth)
Gifts to Avoid - Clocks, especially to older people. the word clock
has similar pronounciation as "funeral". Anything in sets
of four, or with the numbers 4 or 40 on them. '4' is considered
an unlucky number in China (as it has similar a pronounciation as
'die/dead'). Green headwear (i.e., a green cap or hat), this signifies
that somebody in the family is committing adultery. Never
give sharp objects such as knives or scissors as they would signify
the cutting of a relationship.
- Bring a large
supply of business cards. You may meet many more people than anticipated.
- As a health precaution, it is advisable for international visitors
to drink bottled water, even in hotels and restaurants.
- Bring basic cold and anti-diarrhea medicines and your own prescription
drugs.
- Avoid talking politics or religion. Good topics: Chinese food,
sports or places one should visit.
- If a Chinese person gives you a compliment, it is polite to deny
it graciously. Modesty is highly valued in China.
- The Chinese point at objects with an open hand instead of the
index finger. Beckoning to someone is done with a palm facing down.
Avoid beckoning with your index finger facing up.
- Do not try too hard to "go Chinese." Chinese do not
expect you to know all of their etiquette, and they make allowances
for foreigners. Keep the above guidelines in mind, but above all,
be yourself.
- Do learn a few words of Chinese. This shows an interest in your
host's language and culture. It also is a very good icebreaker.
See our language section here.
China's main language is Manadarin (Putonghua - meaning standard/common language), this is spoken and understood over all of China. You may notice however that in someplaces you go in China nobody seems to be talking Mandarin, this is because there are many regional dialects spoken across China the most popular being Cantonese and Shanghaiese.For mor information about the Chinese language and for some example phrases please see our language section here.
The electrical current in China is 220 volts, AC 50Hz with China using both two and three pronged power outlets. It would be best to bring all adapter sockets needed from home as they may prove a bit difficult to find. Universal outlets for 240V or 11 OV appliances are usually found in leading hotels.
Visitors can bring reasonable quantities of prescribed medications into China. All should be clearly labeled, identifiable and carried in your hand luggage. For large quantities, bring a doctor's certificate to produce to Customs if necessary. Chemists (Pharmacists) can fill most prescriptions but some may need to be reissued by an Australian registered doctor. In the event of illness, your hotel may have it's own doctor or should be able to call a doctor or refer you to one, or you can call your country's High Commission, Embassy or Consulate-General for alist of doctors. Travel insurance is recommended for all travellers and if you are planning to visit areas outside of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, consider emergency evacuation insurance.
Meter operated taxi cabs service all major cities and towns and are a very cheap form of transport for inner city travel. You will find taxi ranks at transport terminals, major hotels or you can easily hail them in the street. There is a minimum flagfall charge, then a charge for the distance travelled. Since most taxi drivers will not have a great understanding of English it would be best to get your hotel to help you write your destination on a bit of paper in Chinese. Some taxi drivers may insist not to use their meter or try to tell you that the meter is 'broken', if this is the case insist on the meter being used, if not get out and find another taxi.
Telephone communication within China is good and improving all the time. International Direct Dialling is available in most cities. Phone cards are widely available and calls can be made from post offices, hotels and phone booths on the streets. In hotels, local calls are generally free or will be charged only a nominal fee. The Chinese mobile phone networks isvery advanced. Operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Internet cafes are available in most towns although can be noisy as they are a popular spot for the youth to play online games.
The time difference between Beijing and the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is +8 hours. The whole of China uses only one standard time, i.e. Beijing time, throughout the country.
Current exchange rates can be found using our currency convertor. As of the time of writing 100 RenMenBi (CNY) bought $16.21 (AUD), or $12.46 (USD).
China's currency mainly consists of notes, which come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 RMB. Be aware when recieving 50 and 100 RMB notes that it is not uncommon to encounter counterfiet notes, by feeling the surface of the paper you should be able to tell.
RMB (Renminbi) is the only currency to be used in China. Money exchanges by cash or traveler's cheques can be made at the branches of the Bank of China also hotels and tourist stores can help you to exchange your foreign currencies. Please remember to keep the currency exchange receipt with you as it has to be shown to the bank clerk if you are going to convert the remaining amount of RMB back into foreign cash when leaving China.
Credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Master and Visa are acceptable for payment at hotels or tourist stores. And you should have no problem withdrawing cash from most intternational bank and credit cards from ATM machines.
When visitors leave China, they can change the remaining amount of Renminbi back into foreign cash and take out of China within a grace period of six months prior to departure from China, but in doing so they have to display foreign currency conversion receipts.
Tipping is not obligatory and service charges are normally including in your bill already at hotels and restaurants. Taxi drivers very rarely get tipped and never expect to be.
Most transport stations and hotels with have tourist information and advice free of charge.
Chinese visa is a permit issued to a foreigner by the Chinese visa authorities for entry into, exit from or transit through the Chinese territory. The Chinese visa authorities may issue a Diplomatic, Courtesy, Service or Ordinary Visa to a foreigner according to his/her identity, purpose of visit to China and passport type.
The Ordinary Visa consists of eight sub-categories, which are respectively marked with Chinese phonetic letters L, F, Z, X, C, G, D, J-1and J-2.
L Visa: Issued to an applicant who comes to China for tourist purposes, family visiting or other personal affairs.
F Visa: Issued to an applicant who is invited to China for visit, research, lecture, business, scientific-technological and culture exchanges or short-term advanced studies or intern practice for a period of no more than six months.
Z Visa: Issued to an applicant who is to take up a post or employment in China, and their accompanying family members.
X Visa: Issued to an applicant who comes to China for the purpose of study, advanced studies or intern practice for a period over six months.
C Visa: Issued to crewmembers on international aviation, navigation and land transportation missions and family members accompanying them.
G Visa: Issued to those who transit through China.
D Visa: Issued to applicant who is to reside permanently in China.
J-1 Visa: Issued to foreign resident correspondents in China.
J-2 Visa: Issued to foreign correspondents on temporary interview missions in China.
Validity of Visa: normally speaking, a visa is valid for 3 months from the date of issuance (date of application) and on any day within this period, the visa holder may enter China.
Duration of Stay Specified in the Visa: normally speaking, a visa holder may stay in China for 1 month which counts from the date of his/her entrance into China. To stay longer, you need to specify your request in your application form and it’ll be subject to the permission of the consul in charge.
Overseas Chinese Visa Authorities, include Chinese embassies, consulates, visa offices, and the consular department of the office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. If a foreigner intends to enter into, exit from or transit through the Chinese territory, he shall apply to the above-mentioned Chinese visa authorities for a Chinese visa. For further information, please consult the nearest Chinese visa authorities.
Air - Most long-distance internal travel is by air due to the large distances between major Chinese cities. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) operates along routes linking Beijing to over 80 other cities by 14 regional airlines, covering all major cities and some sites. CAAC controls several other private carriers including China Eastern, China Northern, China Southern, Great Wall and Yunnan Airlines.
Travel
agencies are a new business but quickly becoming a popular one and
they are normally pretty easy to find in all major cities. Here
you can buy your internal air tickets fairly easily, most travel
agencies should have someone who can talk English. It is advisable
to purchase internal air tickets well in advance if travelling during
holiday periods (1-5 May), Mid-September or (1-15) October. Departure
tax is payable on all internal flights with is 50 RMB.
Sea/River - All major rivers are served by river ferries, especially
the Yangzi. Coastal ferries operate between Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao
and Shanghai. There are regular ferry services between mainland
China and Hong Kong - Macau.
Rail - Railways provide the principal means of transport for goods
and people throughout China. The routes are generally cheap, safe
and well maintained. The major routes are from Beijing to Guangzhou,
Shanghai, Harbin, Chengdu and Urumqi. There are three types of train,
of which Express is the best. There are four types of fare: hard
seat, soft seat (only on short-distance trains such as the Hong
Kong to Guangzhou (Canton) line), hard sleeper and soft sleeper.
Children under 1m (3ft) tall travel free and those under 1.3m (4ft)
pay a quarter of the fare.
Road - It is possible to reach 80 per cent of settlements by road.
Roads are not always of the highest quality. Distances should not
be underestimated and vehicles should be in prime mechanical condition
as China is still very much an agricultural nation without the mechanical
expertise or services found in the West. From Beijing to Shanghai
is 1461km (908 miles), and from Beijing to Nanjing (Nanking) is
1139km (718 miles). Traffic drives on the right, seatbelts are only
required to be worn by front seat passengers in major cities but
with some of the sometimes erratic driving it may be recommended
to wear your seatbelt (back or front) if available.
Bus - Reasonable services are operated between the main cities. Buses are normally crowded, but reach parts of of the country that trains do not. There are some more expensive luxury sleeper buses.
Car
hire - Car rental is pretty difficult for foreigners with the language
and license proble, some major cities allow international drivers
to take a test and get a temporary license, enquire at a tourist
office for more information. Cars with a driver can be hired on
a daily or weekly basis. Driving standards are erratic and overwhelming
for many first time visitors.
Public transportation - Some major cities have subway lines (Shanghai,Beijing,
Tianjin, Guangzhou, etc.) and tramways and trolleybuses run in a
number of other cities. Most cities have a public transit system,
mostly consisting of buses.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Air - The national airline is Air China (CA) (www.airchina.com.cn)
with many most other major international carriers also serving China,
include: British Airways, Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, Northwest Airlines,
Singapore Airlines and many others.
Approximate flight times - From Beijing to London is approximately
10 hours, to New York is 22 hours, to Los Angeles is 12 hours, and
to Sydney is 12 hours.
International airports - Beijing/Peking (BJS/PEK) airport (Capital
International Central) is 28km (18 miles) northeast of the city
(travel time – 40 minutes by bus and taxi). Guangzhou/Canton
airport (Baiyun) is 7km (4 miles) from the city (travel time –
20 minutes). Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) airport is 13km (8 miles) southwest
of the city (travel time – 25 to 40 minutes).Shanghai Pudong
(PVG) airport, in the eastern financial district, is 30km (19 miles)
from the city centre (travel time – 50 minutes by bus or taxi).
Facilities at the above airports include taxis, public and shuttle
buses, duty free shops, banks/bureaux de change, post offices, business
facilities, bars and restaurants. There are also airports at other
major cities.
Departure tax is payable on all international flights at a cost
of 90 RMB. Children under 12 and transit passengers (proceeding
within 24 hours) are exempt.
Sea - Principal seaports are Fuzhou, Guangzhou (Canton), Hong Kong/Kowloon,
Qingdao and Shanghai. There are regular ferry services linking most
Chinese ports with Kobe in Japan and the west coast of Korea (Dem
Rep). Ferry services operate between Weihai, Qingdao, Tianjin and
Shanghai in China to Incheon in Korea (Dem Rep).
Rail - International services run from Beijing to Moscow (Russian
Federation), on both the Trans-Mongolian Railway (via Ulaanbaatar
in Mongolia) and the Trans-Manchurian Railway (via Zabaikalsk in
northern China). There are also services from Beijing to Pyongyang
(Korea, Dem Rep). Owing to demand, it may be necessary to book up
to two months in advance. A regular train service runs from Hong
Kong to Guangzhou (Canton), and is of a higher standard than internal
trains in China. There are several trains daily. Services between
Shanghai-Kowloon/Hong Kong (travel time – 29 hours) and Beijing-Kowloon/Hong
Kong (travel time – 30 hours) both run on alternate days.
There are twice-weekly trains from Almaty in Kazakhstan to Urumqi.
There are three types of fare: hard sleeper, soft sleeper and deluxe
soft sleeper.
Road - The principal road routes into China follow the historical
trade routes through Myanmar, India, the former Soviet republics
and Mongolia. It is also possible to travel from Pakistan to Xinjiang
on the beautiful Karakoran highway.
Click here to read of accomodation and lodgings guide.
Chinese food is much more diverse than the Chinese takeaways back home. Chinese food includes the dim sum of Canton, dumplings and noodles of North China, spicy food from Shichuan and Hunan, along with many other regional cuisines.
China is characterized by a continental climate, and the climate differ from region to region because of the country's extensive territory and complex topography(The latitudes span nearly 50 degrees).
Most parts of China have clear division between seasons. In winter, northerly winds from high latitude areas keep the northern part cold and dry, while in summer, monsoons from southern coastal areas bring warm and moisture. In addition, the climate also varies with the extensive territory and various topography from region to region.
In north China, such as Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, summer is dry and sweltering WHILE winter is formidably cold. Sandstorms sometimes occur in April in this area, especially in the Inner Mongolia and Beijing area.
On the Tibet-Qinghai plateau (about 4,000m above sea level), winter is long and extremely cold while summer is short and moderately warm. There is little precipitation in this area and the temperature fluctuation is great between day and night.
In central china (the valley along where the Yangtze River travel), summer is long, hot and humid while winter is short and cold.
In the areas south of the Yangtze River, temperature rarely falls below freezing. In the far south, areas around Guangzhou, the summer is long, humid and hot while the winter is short and comfortable, a paradise consider by many northerners. The rainy season runs from may through august and typhoons frequently occur in the southeast coast between July and September.
Any specific questions concerning travel in China can be asked in our forum: https://www.tradewithaustralia.com/forums/
Also visit our links section for china specific travel: https://www.tradewithaustralia.com/exporters/