Five business essential things you should know, about living and doing business in Guangzhou, China

Guangzhou is the capital of the Guangdong province in the south of China. It is the third largest city, with an estimated population of 13 million, and its proximity to Hong Kong and Macau has given Guangzhou the opportunity to become a hub of international business in China. Guangzhou is still a big source of China’s manufacturing industry. 

The growing Chinese economy is appealing to many expats, and Guangzhou, with its versatile economy and the many leading sectors, is definitely among the favourite destinations. Additionally, the China Import and Export Fair (more commonly known as the Canton Fair) China's largest trade fair sees thousands of international visitors flocking to Guangzhou twice a year.

I live in Zhujiang New Town is the newest part of Guangzhou and has the highest concentration of luxury hotels and retail stores in the city. Guangzhou is a really an easy city to live in (Once you understand the rules.) The city is also great for business the opportunities are vast and endless.

Five business essential things you should know, about living and doing business in Guangzhou.

1.You need a Wechat profile is a social media application developed by Tencent, with over 889 million active users. It’s your business card, messages, social media, maps, taxi, payment and list goes on. You don’t need anything else, just mobile with this app, without this you won’t go far. (Facebook should pay attention) 

Available for all kinds of platforms; enjoy group chat; support voice, photo, video and text messages.

2. Guanxi or personal relationships are of vital importance when doing business in China. Do not underestimate the importance of the relationship building process. Approach a possible business partnership with a view to it being a serious, long-term arrangement based on a very good relationship, with legal and emotional ties that bind for a very long time. There is no substitute for slowly developing the relationship with potential partners. As the relationship develops so will further trust and understanding. For the Western businessperson seeking to launch or expand business in Asia, how to build guanxi is not only important to your business. In many cases, it is your business. 

3. Making conversation; most people should be addressed by a title and their last name. You can address people by professional titles such as “General Manager Wang” or “Director Zhao” or, alternatively, if a person does not have a professional title, use Mr, Madame or Miss, plus the last name. The Chinese do not like to say no. Doing so causes embarrassment and loss of face. If a request cannot be met, you might be told that it is inconvenient or under consideration. Alternatively, you might be told, “Yes, but it will be difficult”. This might seem like a positive response, but in reality, means “No” or “probably not”.

4. Business meetings start on time and it is good practice to arrive at the location early. Formal introductions are standard and it is usual to be introduced to the most senior person first, followed by the rest of the group in descending order of seniority. It is a sign of courtesy to have your card translated into Chinese, in a Simplified or Traditional text as appropriate for the audience. Much Chinese do not read English.

Present your card with both hands with the Chinese side face up. Spend a few seconds examining the cards you receive. This shows respect for the card’s owner. However, whatever you do, don’t write on the card, as this shows disrespect to the owner.

5. If you wish to build or expand China will need to move, get someone from your organisation to relocate or find an experienced group to represent them. When you're just starting, you've got to recognise there's going to be a limit to what you can do travelling back and forth to China. You'll never be going to get a deal done without basing yourself there. Surrounding yourself with local talent can help you break deals, understand the culture and the complexities of the market as well as compensate for the language barrier for those who don't speak Mandarin.