Accurately Interpret Your Own Status

Leaving you in the hands of subordinates at the outset of a potential new business relationship may be a signal that the real decision makers are not serious about and/or interested enough in you and your proposal. If this is the case, your first order of business will be to devise a different approach that will attract the interest of the higher-ups in the organisation.

Watch and Wait

Be aware of the positions of people with whom you have contact during your business negotiations and operations in China. This is relatively easy to do because titles are generally omnipresent (e.g., Factory Director Wang or Chairman Yu, rather than Mr/Ms Wang or Yu).

Also note how often/how firmly your Chinese counterparts put you off. If you find yourself repeatedly talking to the wrong people, it usually won’t help to insist on seeing the ‘person in charge,’ especially if you don’t already know who that person is. The best strategy may be to simply drop your proposal for the time being and try a different tack later.