Doing Business in China For Dummies®

Tokens of Appreciation: Giving Gifts Correctly

Gift giving is a common practice in China. It’s a good way of thanking someone for doing a special favor or celebrating a special occasion, or it may just be a way to cement your relationship with a business contact. Done the right way, exchanging gifts can help build a stronger relationship with the Chinese.

You can give a single gift to the Chinese company or give individual gifts to the Chinese people you’re working with. Giving individual gifts is great because it lets everybody participate in the gift-giving ritual. If you give a single gift to the company, the recipient should be obvious to everyone. For example, you can give them a crystal decorative piece representing a significant landmark from your home city — Big Ben, Sears Tower, Sydney Harbor Bridge. Read on for details on the rites and rituals of gift giving.

Deciding how much to spend

Don’t choose gifts that are too expensive. You and your company don’t want to be seen to be buying favors or business in China. Also, an expensive gift may invite the Chinese to give you a more expensive gift at a later time, which you may then need to one-up, and so on.

Check with your home country laws or company policies about monetary limits for gift giving before you decide what to do about gift giving in China. Some companies have strict rules about giving and receiving gifts.