桥

The Asia Bridge

Vol. I · West ↔ Asia

Pick two countries. Get the cheat sheet.

→

Tap to change. This is your whole briefing.

✦ Rewrite your message for ChinaOpen Negotiator →

01Cultural Key (the basics)

China

🇨🇳China

Dossier · Vol. I

关系

Cultural key · 🇨🇳 China

Relationship-building is the foundation of all business

Guānxì

02Scenario

General

What are you preparing for?

03Phrasebook (what to say)

Phrasebook

§ I

01
幸会
Xìnghuì
Pleased to meet you. First meetings — more formal than 你好
02
合作愉快
Hézuò yúkuài
Happy cooperation. After signing deals or closing meetings
03
请多关照
Qǐng duō guānzhào
Please look after me. Shows humility when starting a partnership

04Compare (you vs them)

United States ↔ China

Culture gap map

Same words, different signal.

§ II

Aspect🇺🇸 You🇨🇳 Them

Comms

🇺🇸 YouVery direct, informal quickly

🇨🇳 ThemIndirect, context-heavy

Watch: "We will study it" or "we will consider it" often means the issue needs internal alignment or is not acceptable as framed.

Hierarchy

🇺🇸 YouFlat, first-name basis fast

🇨🇳 ThemHierarchical, top-down

Watch: The person writing the document may not be the person allowed to approve it.

Gifts

🇺🇸 YouRare in business, keep modest

🇨🇳 ThemSymbolic, avoid clocks/white

Watch: A late reopening of terms can be part of relationship-based negotiation, not necessarily bad faith.

Meetings

🇺🇸 YouPunctual, agenda-driven, results-first

🇨🇳 ThemRelationship-first, banquets

Watch: Silence in a meeting may protect face and allow senior people to set the direction.

Decisions

🇺🇸 YouFast, individual authority

🇨🇳 ThemConsensus with senior approval

Watch: "We will study it" or "we will consider it" often means the issue needs internal alignment or is not acceptable as framed.

05Unspoken Signals

China

Unspoken signals

Tap to decode.

§ III

06Mistake → Better move

Mistake → Better move

§ III

Common mistake

×say 'no' directly — use 'we'll consider it' instead

Better move

→Use titles + surname (Wang Zǒng) — never first names early

Common mistake

×cause someone to lose face publicly

Better move

→Present and receive business cards with both hands

Common mistake

×discussing Taiwan, Tibet, or politics

Better move

→Ask how they prefer the market named, then stay business-focused.

07Negotiation Tips (how to win the room)

Playbook

§ IV

01
Build guānxì before discussing terms — invest in dinners and relationship time.
02
Never cause someone to 'lose face' publicly — address concerns privately.
03
Expect negotiations to take longer — patience signals seriousness.

Quiz · 🇨🇳 China

Learn the unspoken signal.

Country

Novice

5-card session

Mixed practice, one screen at a time.

ReplySceneOrderListenBlank

Scenario practice archive

The original practice runs are still here.

These are the longer room-reading scenarios you already knew. I kept them as a separate mode.

China novice → China ready

0/100 XP

More markets

问Consult · Field Expert

🇺🇸 → 🇨🇳

Consult

关系

You get answers tied to China and United States — not generic expat tips.

Begin with

→

Tap to change. This is your whole briefing.

✦ Rewrite your message for ChinaOpen Negotiator →

01Cultural Key (the basics)

China

🇨🇳China

Dossier · Vol. I

关系

Cultural key · 🇨🇳 China

Relationship-building is the foundation of all business

Guānxì

02Scenario

General

What are you preparing for?

03Phrasebook (what to say)

Phrasebook

§ I

01
幸会
Xìnghuì
Pleased to meet you. First meetings — more formal than 你好
02
合作愉快
Hézuò yúkuài
Happy cooperation. After signing deals or closing meetings
03
请多关照
Qǐng duō guānzhào
Please look after me. Shows humility when starting a partnership

04Compare (you vs them)

United States ↔ China

Culture gap map

Same words, different signal.

§ II

Aspect🇺🇸 You🇨🇳 Them

Comms

🇺🇸 YouVery direct, informal quickly

🇨🇳 ThemIndirect, context-heavy

Watch: "We will study it" or "we will consider it" often means the issue needs internal alignment or is not acceptable as framed.

Hierarchy

🇺🇸 YouFlat, first-name basis fast

🇨🇳 ThemHierarchical, top-down

Watch: The person writing the document may not be the person allowed to approve it.

Gifts

🇺🇸 YouRare in business, keep modest

🇨🇳 ThemSymbolic, avoid clocks/white

Watch: A late reopening of terms can be part of relationship-based negotiation, not necessarily bad faith.

Meetings

🇺🇸 YouPunctual, agenda-driven, results-first

🇨🇳 ThemRelationship-first, banquets

Watch: Silence in a meeting may protect face and allow senior people to set the direction.

Decisions

🇺🇸 YouFast, individual authority

🇨🇳 ThemConsensus with senior approval

Watch: "We will study it" or "we will consider it" often means the issue needs internal alignment or is not acceptable as framed.

05Unspoken Signals

China

Unspoken signals

Tap to decode.

§ III

06Mistake → Better move

Mistake → Better move

§ III

Common mistake

×say 'no' directly — use 'we'll consider it' instead

Better move

→Use titles + surname (Wang Zǒng) — never first names early

Common mistake

×cause someone to lose face publicly

Better move

→Present and receive business cards with both hands

Common mistake

×discussing Taiwan, Tibet, or politics

Better move

→Ask how they prefer the market named, then stay business-focused.

07Negotiation Tips (how to win the room)

Playbook

§ IV

01
Build guānxì before discussing terms — invest in dinners and relationship time.
02
Never cause someone to 'lose face' publicly — address concerns privately.
03
Expect negotiations to take longer — patience signals seriousness.

What are you preparing for?

Learn the unspoken signal.

Order the steps

Mixed practice, one screen at a time.

The original practice runs are still here.

What are you preparing for?