Doing business in China

[vakman]

Evening gentleman.
Any of you have experiance doing business in China?
Planning of going there in oktober to Guangdong

[Chewbacca]

From what close friends have said...

Don't expect to sleep much and get used to whisky -- by the bottle.

[SMD]

Yes. Took a mainland company public in Hong Kong. Not a pleasant experience.

[nick800]

A lot. I could be happy not doing that again.

[THC]

My son is over there on a 90 day work visa (Petroleum Engineer) and we text daily and he loves it

[Wcdhtwn]

Went to Shanghai for a week once. Unbelievable place, just huge. Feels like 3 Manhattans, with taller buildings. Sleep is hard to come by. I stayed in the Sofitel in PuDong, bed was a hard board and a fairly thin mattress, but I got used to it. One thing that surprised me in such a developed city you cannot drink the water. Brush your teeth with bottled and shower with your mouth closed. The better hotels have water systems that are supposed to make it safe, but it’s really not worth the risk. I don’t know anything about Guangdong, like going anywhere the city probably influences your experience. I’d go back to Shanghai as a tourist but wouldn’t be in a rush to go there for work again.

[joeychitwood]

I briefly did some Emergency Medicine and EMS consulting in the mid-1990s in Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. The people I interacted with were friendly and helpful. The military and police, who are everywhere, were aloof and occasionally intimidating. I was attempting to take a photo of a line of armed soldiers in Tiananmen Square when the leader gave a command and they all pointed their bayonets at me. I gained about 10 pounds in three weeks eating great food. The air pollution was oppressive. As someone mentioned above, the water was not to be trusted. Ice in drinks was non-existent.

[robjohna]

I lived in Shanghai for 2 years while setting up a Plastics company. Let me know if you have specific questions you need answered. I’m here


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[oliviahuffman]

nice sharing!

[vakman]

Mixed answers. Well I am curious.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by vakman

Mixed answers. Well I am curious.

With your money or investors?

[zetaplus93]

Have travelled to Beijing and Shanghai to help support the local office with a few events in the last few years. But these were short 1-week visits.

Would help if you had specific questions that you want input on.

[Old Geezer]

I’ve done business in China for many years. The biggest advice I’d give you is to make sure you have an interpreter you can trust. It’s complicated, especially if you have to engage with design institutes and / or government officials.

[PackPride]

Depending on which side of the deal you are on- negotiations are very different. They are very used to bargaining and the longer term play so take your time and don’t be in a rush. Wonderful country and people- enjoy your time there and take some of the amazing history and culture.

[junamuan]

Have no experience doing business in China but I heard its not for the weak. Lots of gray areas and under the table transactions.

[tmmii]

Things I’ve learned-
When you fly there leave early morning. Stay up the entire flight and you’ll get to where you are staying mid afternoon and the sun will keep you up. You’ll go to bed a little early but wake up on their time. Coming back I was always screwed lol.

Don’t trust any local there. They will screw you out of a thousand USD to put a dollar into their pocket.

And like said earlier don’t get the water anywhere close to your mouth.

Are you going to be there for an extended time on a visa? If so there is a lot into just getting the visa.

Go order the dumplings whenever you can.

[TJMike]

I have lived and done business in China for getting close to twenty years. A few simple rules:

1. Treat people with respect. I can't emphasize this enough. In my time here I have seen so many companies fail or screw up potential lucrative business because the people in charge (Westerners) believed they were better than the Chinese.

2. Have a good local person on the ground. Pay them through the nose. They will cover for the mistakes you make. You will make mistakes, but if you follow rule 1 they can be overcome.

3. Pay your local (Chinese) workforce well; above the market rate. If you are just viewing Chinese workers as cheap labor your company will be in for a rude shock. Chinese workers generally have a lot of options. Moreover, most of the low-wage work is being outsourced from China to places like Vietnam and parts of Africa.

Other things to do will vary industry to industry.

[vakman]

Planning to go to the Canton fair and buying a container of elektronics, already had contact with the factory. So i dont think i have to deal wit goverment officials.

[robjohna]

Originally Posted by TJMike

I have lived and done business in China for getting close to twenty years. A few simple rules:

1. Treat people with respect. I can't emphasize this enough. In my time here I have seen so many companies fail or screw up potential lucrative business because the people in charge (Westerners) believed they were better than the Chinese.

2. Have a good local person on the ground. Pay them through the nose. They will cover for the mistakes you make. You will make mistakes, but if you follow rule 1 they can be overcome.

3. Pay your local (Chinese) workforce well; above the market rate. If you are just viewing Chinese workers as cheap labor your company will be in for a rude shock. Chinese workers generally have a lot of options. Moreover, most of the low-wage work is being outsourced from China to places like Vietnam and parts of Africa.

Other things to do will vary industry to industry.

Dead on. I too used to live in Shanghai setting up a manufacturing company. Learned from my mistakes and the above rules will save you a lot of headache.


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[evo30]

Shanghai - Can anyone enlighten me with some directions/locations to find grey dealers in Shanghai, selling used rolex, AP, Patek, etc.? Any places where you can find the most dealers?