Gift Giving Etiquette in Other Cultures - China

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_L_Hill]Jennifer L Hill
China is a country with a long and storied history that is undergoing big changes. It has emerged as a financial powerhouse and has one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. Traditions have changed as well, what was once acceptable in many cases now no longer is, and anyone doing business in this country needs to be well aware of modern etiquette practices here.
Gift giving, and lavish gift giving at that, was long part of the culture in China, but after the Communist take-over in the middle of the last century, things have changed dramatically. Today the official policy in business culture is that gift giving is prohibited as it can be considered a form of bribery. Since bribery is a crime in China, your gift may be declined by the recipient. There is one exception to this rule though; it is acceptable to give a gift to a company as a whole, but there is also another subset of rules that goes along with this. However, in the last few years, things have slowly begun to change.
Giving a gift is an act to be done with some discretion in China, and there are several things you should be aware of to avoid getting yourself in an awkward situation. If you wish to give a gift to an individual in China, you must do it in private, and as a gift of friendship and not in the context of a business deal. Like many other cultures in the Far East, the Chinese will decline a gift at least three times before accepting it, so they will not give the appearance of greediness. Therefore, you must be insistent to get them to accept it. If the tables are turned and you are presented with a gift, you are also expected to refuse the gift at least three times as a show of modesty.
If you decide to give a gift to a company in China, as suggested above, there is another subset of rules that must be adhered to. Before you present the gift, all business negotiations must be finished. You should make it clear verbally that the gift is from the company you represent and it should be presented to the head of the business or the head of the team you are negotiating with. The gift should not be overly and very obviously expensive, as they will then feel the need to reciprocate.
As a general rule of thumb, avoid gift wrapping gifts until you are in China, as it will most likely be unwrapped and inspected by customs agents. Try to use red wrapping paper, as red is considered lucky. Other acceptable colors of wrapping paper include pink, silver and gold.
It's important to follow any rules dictated by local customs, especially when trying to do business with a foreign company. The above guidelines will help you avoid an embarrassing situation when doing business in China.
Jennifer is an editor and content manager for Executive Gift Shoppe, a site offering [http://www.executivegiftshoppe.com]corporate gifts such as [http://www.executivegiftshoppe.com/business-card-holders.html]business card holders for men. The Executive Gift Shoppe has something for everyone.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Gift-Giving-Etiquette-in-Other-Cultures---China&id=6624732] Gift Giving Etiquette in Other Cultures - China