Mealtimes are important in China – not only will the most critical meetings be interrupted for meals, it is not possible to carry on a meeting through mealtimes by ordering in ‘something simple.’

Substitutes for regular meals include ‘xiao chi’, or snacks, and box lunches, and no proper host would be caught dead serving these to an honoured guest. It is not only impolite, it puts your health at risk not to eat a proper meal, and it cheats your hosts of yet another opportunity to show you how great Chinese food is.

Keep in mind that a meal with your Chinese business partners does not necessarily mean business will be discussed, at least not in the sense of a Western ‘working lunch,’ where business is the real reason for the meal and eating, toasting, and other formalities take second place to this.

To the Chinese, taking a partner or client to lunch or dinner provides a forum in which trust, or at least familiarity, can be built up for the sake of a long-term partnership, or a good impression can be made for a short-term one. Therefore, follow your host’s lead, and if s/he does not bring up business at a meal, it is probably best not to do so yourself.

And remember, most business in China is conducted on the basis of familiarity and goodwill, so these meals may be critical to the eventual success of your business relationship with your Chinese counterparts and your prospective business arrangements. They therefore deserve your full and enthusiastic participation.