Business trip to Guangzhou, China
Already since ancient time, Guangzhou, which is, to the western world, known as Canton, has been a famous commercial port in China with an open trading history. The economic development of the city is rising and has made an amazing success since the reforms and opening-up. Besides the city recently has also acquired the position of the workshop of world with more assembly lines, factories and mass production than anywhere else on the planet.
As the most important port of the Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou is one of the leading manufacturing and economic regions of Mainland China and accordingly, also one of the most important centers of foreign commerce. Besides being the center of politics, education, culture and communication in the southern China, Canton is one of the three biggest exhibition cities in China as well.
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Guangzhou is the financial, industrial, transportation and trade center of South China. It is a special economic development zone and a major trading point.
The natural conditions in the area are an advantage and the products’ resources are abundant. The main grain crop is rice, and beside that there is maize, wheat, sweet potatoes. There is peanut, sesame seed, sugar-cane, beans, tobacco, bast-fibre plants, tea and some other crops. There are many kinds of fruits. There are over 300 kinds of vegetables. And there are 210 kinds of wild animals. Also there are hundreds of medicinal materials. You could certainly say that the area is very resourceful.
Guangzhou is a synthetic industrial city. It has an integrated steel complex, paper mills, a long-established textile industry (silk, cotton, jute, and more recently synthetic fibers), and factories producing tractors, machinery, machine tools, newsprint, refined sugar, small appliances, tires, bicycles, sports equipment, porcelain, cement, and chemicals. The traditional crafts are jade carving, Yue embroidery, painted pottery, ivory carving and so on. Guangzhou is the most important production center in the South.
The harbour for the water transportation along the Pearl River, it is the southern terminus of the Guangzhou-Wuhan Railway. It has a large international airport and is linked with Hong Kong by the Guangzhou-Jiulong railway. Highways completed in the 1990s connect it with cities on the coast. Guangzhou is one of the marketplaces for China’s world trade; great national trade expositions, held there every spring and fall (since 1957), attract thousands of business people from all over the world.
For more in-depth information I suggest you buy and read the "Global Business Etiquettes" book.
- Communication:
Use an intermediary to get introduced.
Take your time and be very patient. It can take a very long time to build a relation.
Use formal names and academic titles. Rank is very important and should be respected at all time.
Chinese are not direct, they prefer subtlety to directness. They will not tell you what they think.
Dress formal and conservative. Womens should wear flat shoes. - Meetings and negotiations:
Be very punctual, if you suspect you will late, call and explain the situation.
A translator/intermediary is essential.
Remain standing until invited to sit down.
Agenda’s are strictly followed but a meeting can take much longer then planned because decisions take a long time.
Keep your presentation as short as possible, to the point, accurate and precise, do not exaggerate and use only black and white colors!
Written material should be available in both Chinese and English, using simplified Chinese characters. Make certain that translations are accurate and cannot be misinterpreted.
Follow up a meeting with a letter with all agreements outlined. - Table manners:
If unsure on how to behave, mimic the behavior of others.
Bring a gift for your host.
Wait until you are appointed a seat.
Do not talk business.
Avoid alcohol if possible, otherwise drink little.
Learn to use chopsticks.
Try everything that is offered.
Keep your hands above the table when eating.
Making slurping sounds is allowed of even appreciated.
Thank your host at the end of the meal.
China has not escaped the recent global economic crisis. With an economy heavily dependent on exports to developed markets, the sharp drop in global consumer demand has had a important effect on China’s economy. In 2007 China’s economy grew by 13 percent and had maintained over 10% growth for most of the past decade.
In 2008 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth dropped to 9 percent, dangerously close to the 8 percent growth that many economists believe to be required to feed China’s economic engine. Exploratory Chinese economic figures for the last quarter of 2008 indicate that this decline is continuing and accelerating. Overall economic growth in China is continuing, however and foreign companies are benefiting.
In 2008, inflation, measured by the country’s consumer price index, dropped slightly from the year prior to about 6 percent but continues to be an economic threat. China’s manufacturing base helped the country hit record trade surplus levels of € 189 billion in 2008. Foreign investment is strong with China remaining as one of the main destinations for foreign capital investment, though growth began to slide in 2008. China’s economic miracle is tempered by a number of looming threats, namely a rapidly aging population and a perilously deteriorating environment.
In the end of 2008 the Chinese government, in order to shore up the weakening domestic economy, unveiled a € 371 billion (RMB 4 trillion) economic stimulus plan. € 168 billion, or 45 percent, of the stimulus package will go toward the construction of railways, highways, airports and power grids; another € 93 billion will be used for post-disaster reconstruction, which includes rebuilding after snowstorms that hit Central China in early 2008 and the earthquake that struck Sichuan province in May. € 34 billion will go towards rural development and infrastructure projects; € 32 billion has been earmarked for ecological environment; € 26 billion will be used for low-income housing; and the rest will be spent on health, culture, education and innovation.
Some facts in a list:
| Currency | Chinese Yuan(RMB) |
| Time zone | GMT +8 |
| Population | 1.338.612.968 |
| Area | 9.640.821 km2 |
| Population density | 140 /sq km |
| GDP | € 5,76 trillion |
| GDP/per capita | € 4.297 |
  | Product tip: Keep an eye on the size of your trolley Many luggage stores sell suitcases described as ’carry-on’, but these suitcases are sometimes larger than the size most airlines will accept. The safe maximum size is 114 cm, in the form of a 55 x 40 x 20 cm bag. Some airlines allow up to as much as 140 cm, but most do not. Not only do luggage stores and manufacturers seldom tell you if their bag is legally sized or not, but they also frequently mis-measure their bag. Their measurements generally are for the inside of the main compartment, and assume that any external pockets are of zero thickness, rather than stuffed full of things (which can easily add another inch or more) and ignore any external framing such as wheels and carry handle (which can also add another couple of inches). |
Do you take your interpreter with you during your business trip? Even better, hire someone local. That way you are sure that he or she speaks the correct Chinese language variant of the region where you are going to.
An interpreter who also speaks the language of your business
An interpreter that has graduated with honors speaks its languages perfectly. But.. you are better of with someone who knows what type of business you’re in and knows the right translations and understands your business. Ask around for the right interpreter and choose the interpreter who feels at home in your core business.
Interpreter etiquette
During the meeting, keep looking at your business contact, not at your interpreter, not even when he or she is talking. Try to avoid the specific terminology of your industry. A wrong translation can lead to misunderstandings. Answers your business contact with a “yes” or a “no”, try determine to what he or she answered exactly so that there can be no misunderstandings about the results.
Never rush
Remember that Chinese negotiations usually go through several stages. First there is an informal prenegotiation. After that follows the official main negotiation. After that there is a possibility of some sort of after-negotiation. Don’t try to force the state of affairs, that could jeopordize the complete negotiations. In advance make proper arrangements with your interpreter, you will need the same interpreter during all those 3 meetings.
Who is the decision maker?
During your meeting try to find as early as possible who will take the final decision in the end. Your Chinese contacts usually speak to you with a group, but only one of them will make the final decision. See who enters the room first and in which order your business contacts present their businesscards. Who takes the floor first? How do the Chinese business contacts react to one another? When you can find out who is the decision maker and you are able to convince that person, you will probably get the approval of the whole group.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the most important airport of Guangzhou, which is the capital of the province of Guangdong. Both airport codes are a remnant of the previous Guangzhou airport, the IATA code originates from Guangzhou’s former romanization Canton. The airport is the main hub of China Southern Airlines and a focus city for Shenzhen Airlines.
Address
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Guangzhou, China.
Tel: (020) 3606 6999
www.baiyunairport.com The website is only partly translated into English
Airport codes
IATA airport code: CAN
ICAO airport code: ZGGG
Lost property
You can find the lost and found office in the departure hall on the third floor.
In case of lost luggage you can phone one of the following phone number:
Lost & Found 36066946
Terminal info
There are total 4 fully equipped check-in islands and 102 check-in counters located at international departures hall.
The check-in island G and H are dedicated for providing check-in services to passengers whose flight is handled by China Southern Airlines. It includes the fights of China southern Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Japanese Airlines, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Korea Airlines, Kennya Airlines.
The check-in island F and J are dedicated for providing check-in services to passengers whose flight is handled by Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Company. It includes the fights of Russia Far-east, Batavia, Ethiopian Airlines, Garuda, Air France, Lufthansa, Air Phillipine, Tiger, Orient-Thai, Northwest, Lufthansa Cargo, All Nippon, Air France Cargo, Finnair, Hongkong Express, Air Macao, UPS.
Connectivity from the airport
Bus
Airport Express is the major transportation way for passengers of Guangzhou City and the Pearl-River Delta to and from the new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. There are several lines that lead into the city center.
Taxi
Taxi is the most convenient and fast choice, but it’s high cost. There is a taxi queue outside the arrival hall. A trip downtown normally costs around RMB 150.00.
Since more and more people immigrated to Guangzhou looking for better work and the population increased to over 11 million, the urban transportation faced big challenges. Fortunately, the municipal government has made improvements. Numerous public bus lines radiate to all corners of this city. Thanks to the existing four subway lines and the newly built one, citizens and travelers can arrive where they would like to on time.
At present, there are over 80 taxi companies in Guangzhou. Among those taxis, the yellow taxis of the Baiyun Taxi Company, the blue taxis of the Guangjun Group and the maroon taxis of Guangzhou Transportation Group are the most reputed.
A Guangzhou taxi charges RMB 7 for the first 2,3 kilometers, and RMB 2,6 for succeeding kilometers. RMB 1 is claimed as the fuel surcharge. You can negotiate with the driver if you take a taxi at night. From the Guangzhou Railway Station to the Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport, the taxi fare costs about RMB 100; from Guangzhou East Railway Station to Baiyun Airport, the fare costs about RMB 150; from Guangzhou Railway Station to Guangzhou East Rail Way Station, the taxi fee you pay around RMB 25; from Fangcun Bus Station to Baiyun Airport, about RMB 120 must be paid.
It is very difficult to see an empty taxi in peak hours. In order to find an empty taxi more easily, you can wait at the special pick-up points for taxis. With the number of more than 230, the special pick-up points for taxis are signed and very easy to find.
Taxi complaint hotline: 020-83600000.
La Seine Restaurant
La Seine is Guangzhou’s best French restaurant, serving Classic French ‘Haute Cuisine” dishes. A favorite location for expats and the locals, ready to pamper their taste buds. If you are on a business trip to Guangzhou, this is a great restaurant for entertaining your hosts. Be aware of making a reservation in advance if you would like to go their for the excellent Sunday’s Brunch.
Xinghai Concert Hall
Qing Bo Lu Er Sha Dao
Opening hour: 10:30am-10pm
Telephone: +86 20 8735 8332
(No website available)
The Tandoor - Guangzhou
The Tandoor is the finest Indian restaurant chain in China which was established in 1994. The intimate design of the restaurant, the authentic food, the excellent service, as well as the mysteriously romantic atmosphere make it one of the best exotic theme restaurants in Southeast Asia and a favorite dinning destination for gourmets from all over the world.
Asia Int. Hotel, No.326
Section 1, Huan Shi Dong Lu
Tel:+86 20 62608999
Email: tandoor@uninet.com.cn
Business Hours: 11:30 ~ 14:00 hrs, 17:30 ~ 22:30 hrs
www.tandoorchina.cn
Bingsheng Restaurant
Its food is well-acclaimed. Aquatic delicacies top its menu of choice, including fresh and delicious Icy Shrimps and Sashimi. Its wide range of Toufu (bean curd) is tender and silky, plus strong-flavored Roasted Pork and more must-tries. The price is reasonable. The décor is simple, nice and warm.
168, Tianhe Rd. East
Guangzhou, China
Phone number: 020-87518683
bingsheng.com (Only in Chinese)
Tips to save money on hotel costs during your business trip to Guangzhou.
To get the best price for a good hotel room during your business trip to Guangzhou it's not only important to compare the prices the hotel charges for a room, but also compare the prices of the different booking agencies.
This can save you, or your company, a lot of money!
- Go to this hotel listing for Guangzhou.
- Select the "Check-in" and "Check-out" date.
- Select filters like: "Hotel brand", "Ratings", "Location" and "Price ranges".
- Select the hotel you like.
- You will get an overview of the prices from up to 24 booking sites
- Select the best offer in the list and book the room!
We have selected the following established business hotels for your convenience:
Grand Royal Hotel Guangzhou
This hotel is the perfect base for business travelers. The Grand Royal Hotel Guangzhou is 10 minutes from the Pazhou International Exhibition Center and Science City Tong Software Park. Guests staying at the hotel are pampered with well-equipped conference rooms and a wonderful in-house restaurant offering Western and Chinese dishes. The Grand Royal Hotel Guangzhou is 20 minutes by car to the Guangzhou East Railway Station and 40 minutes to the Baiyun International Airport.
No.483 Zhongshan Street
Tianhe District
Guangzhou, China
More info about Grand Royal Hotel Guangzhou
Ramada Pearl Hotel Guangzhou
The 300 rooms at the Ramada Pearl Hotel Guangzhou are luxurious and divided between suites and apartments. Rooms all feature Internet, air conditioning, and other modern amenities that make the stay perfect. Located near the Ramada Pearl Hotel Guangzhou are the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Railway Station and the Baiyun International Airport. Guests with rental cars can park at the hotel or use public transportation.
9 Mingyue Yi Road
Guangzhou Main Road Central
Guangzhou, China
More info about Ramada Pearl Hotel Guangzhou
The Phoenix City Hotel Guangzhou
The Guangzhou East Railway Station and Liuhua Fair and Airport are about 35 minutes from the Phoenix City Hotel Guangzhou, making it easy to reach. Additionally, the hotel offers a vast transportation network to the various train stations, airports, and seaports. The Phoenix City Hotel Guangzhou has 600 gorgeous guestrooms with an array or modern amenities. Rooms feature Internet connection, phone, television, and an amazing view of the green lake, city skyline, or Phoenix Mountain day and night.
Phoenix City, Xintang Section
Guangyuandong Road
Guangzhou, China
More info about The Phoenix City Hotel Guangzhou
When you return from your business trip to Guangzhou, don’t forget to buy some local products such as the Wang Laoji Herbal Tea, Canton Embroidery, Canton Enamel or Canton Sculpture.
Shangxia Jiu Lu Pedestrian Street is located in the Liwan District of Xiguan, a prosperous traditional commercial district. It is the first commercial pedestrian street in Guangzhou. Walking into this street, you will see the featured Qi Lou, an old building style that exists in Guangzhou and its neighboring areas, on both sides of the road. It reflects the strong Lingnan Culture. On this street lie more than 200 stores, especially those brand name restaurants and teahouses open here. From 13:00 to 21:00 on weekends and holidays and on every night, Shangxia Jiu Lu is restricted to pedestrians only.
Located on Xia Jiu Lu, Hualin Jadeware Street is a street mainly dealing with retail, wholesale and jade and jewelry processing. It is said the history of this street can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). From that time, Hualin Jadeware Street has already been the famed Jadeware Fair. At present, hundreds of jadeware stores are found here. Best-quality jades from Burma and Yunnan Province are made into jade bracelets, rings and other wares.
Wende Calligraphy and Painting Street neighboring the Beijing Lu is known as ’Guangzhou Gallery’. Stores selling works of calligraphy and craftworks line both sides of the road.
Temple of Six Banyan Trees
If you have only a short time for sightseeing during your business trip to Guangzhou, this would be the place to visit. The Temple of Six Banyan Trees has a long history, being built in 537. There are majestic towers, dense trees, plenty of antiques and valuable heritage from well-known people in the history. The Flower Pagoda, the main structure of the temple, was built in 1097, and was named for its colorful exterior. The Flower Pagoda once had a square base in its architecture, but was given an octagonal shaped base after it was rebuilt in 1097.
Yuexiu Park
Yuexiu Park comprises of seven hummocks – the hill Yuejing Hummock, Guihua Hommock, Muke Hummock, and Liyu Hummock and 3 others. Also there are three artificial lakes – Beixiu Lake, Nanxiu Lake, and Dongxiu Lake. Yuexiu Park is famous for the beautiful hills and waters and there are several historic buildings and statues which you can enjoy when you take a stroll in the park. The status of Yuexiu Park as one of the new Eight Attractions of Guangzhou is completely presented by green trees, thriving bamboos, and blooming flowers. There are great flower exhibition which attracts millions of tourists in spring and autumn every year. If you have enough time for sightseeing during your business trip to Guangzhou, I would recommended you to visit this most impressive park.
Tomb of the Southern Yue Kings
In 1983 bulldozers cleared ground in preparation of the construction of the China Hotel. They uncovered the intact tomb of Emperor Wen Di, who ruled Nan Yue (southern China) from 137 BC to 122 BC. The tomb was faithfully restored and its treasures placed in the adjoining Nan Yue Museum.
The tomb contained the remains of the king and 15 courtiers—guards, cooks, concubines, and a musician, who were buried alive to attend him in death. Beside these servants also buried were several thousand funerary objects, clearly designed to impress the accomplishments of the southern empire. The tomb itself, built entirely of stone slabs, is behind the museum and is remarkable for its compact size.
A cruise on the Pearl River
The third longest river, the Pearl River, measures 2,129 meters in length. The Guangzhou section of the river is where Guangzhou’s most scenic spots are located. Many famous sights are clustered along the river and are the reasons for many people taking a trip to Guangzhou.
The evening cruise on the Pearl River is one of the tourist highlights in Guangzhou. The beauty of the Pearl River at night can be compared with that of Hong Kong’s Victoria Park. The cruise section from the White Goose Pool to Guangzhou Bridge is the highlight of the Pearl River cruise. Scenery along this part is so fascinating, with jade-coloured water, coloured lights on shore.
Before you go on your business trip to Guangzhou, China you should always get a travel insurance with a complete coverage. Make sure your health care insurance is sufficiently covered. Maybe this is already covered in your regular health care insurance but often you will need to cover this with the travel insurance. Also a good travel insurance should cover the costs of travel for a relative in case of seriously illness or an accident. The business trip travel insurance should also cover the costs of search, rescue and repatriation.
When you go on business trips on a regular basis, the easiest way to get insured is with an annual multi-trip insurance. Keep in mind that you can also use this insurance for your pleasure trips so don’t forget to include to insure your leisure activities.
| Emergency numbers | Department | Phone |
| Police | Patrol | 110 |
| Traffic | 122 | |
| Medical | Privat | 999 |
| Public | 120 | |
| Fire | 119 |
In case of a medical emergency you can contact:
Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Hospital
613 Huang Pu Da Dao West, Guangzhou 510630
Tel: 020-3868-8888; VIP service: 020-3868-8134
Emergency Department: (020) 3868-8102
www.jd120.com
Chinese or the Sinitic language(s) is a language family consisting of languages mutually intelligible to varying degrees. About one-fifth of the world’s population, or over one billion people, speak some form of Chinese as their native language. The identification of the varieties of Chinese as "dialects" instead of "languages" is considered inappropriate by some linguists and Sinologists.
The standardized form of spoken Chinese is Standard Mandarin, based on the Beijing dialect, which is part of a larger group of North-Eastern and South-Western dialects, often taken as a separate language.
| Hello | 您好 (nín hǎo) / 喂(wéi) (on phone) |
| How are you? | 你好嗎? [你好吗] (nǐ hǎo ma) |
| I’m fine, thanks. And you? | 我很好，你呢？ (wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne) |
| My name is ... | 我姓 ... (wǒ xìng ...) |
| Pleased to meet you | 很高興認識你 [ 很高兴认识你] (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) |
| Good morning | 早安 (zǎoān) |
| Good afternoon | 午安 (wǔān) |
| Good evening | 晚安 (wǎnān) |
| Good night | 晚安 (wǎnān) |
| Goodbye | 再見 [再见] (zàijiàn) |
| Bon appetit | 請慢用 [请慢用] (qǐng màn yòng) |
| Cheers/Good health! | 乾杯! [干杯!] (gān bēi) |
| I don’t understand | 我聽不懂 [我听不懂] (wǒ tīngbùdǒng) |
| Please write it down | 麻煩你寫一下,好不好？ [麻烦你写一下，好不好？](Máfan nǐ xiě yīxià, hǎo bù hǎo?) |
| How do you say ... in Mandarin? | ... 中文怎麼說？ (... zhōngwén zěnme shuō) |
| Excuse me | 請問 [请问] qǐngwén - to attract attention |
| How much is this? | 這個多少錢? [这个多少钱?] (Zhège duōshǎo qián?) |
| Thank you | 謝謝 [谢谢] (xièxie) |
| You’re welcome | 感謝你 [感谢你] (gǎnxiè nǐ) |
| Where’s the toilet? | 洗手間哪裡？ [洗手间在哪里？] xǐshǒujiān zài nǎli? |
| Yes / No | 是(shì) / 否(fǒu) |
  |   |
The best time to apply for your Chinese visa is 1-2 months before your travel date. The validity of a Chinese visa can be anywhere from 3-24 months depending on the type of visa you request. Normally a single entry visa is valid for 3 months, a double entry visa for 6 months, a multiple entry visa for 6, 12 or 24 months. You have to enter China before the expiration date of the visa. From that moment you can stay for 30 (or more days, as specified on your visa).
The time you could actually stay in China, or "duration of stay after entry" is usually 30-90 days per entry. You must state the duration of your stay on the application form. Please be reminded that the Chinese Consulate has the final say on the on the number of days you receive for your visa regardless of your request.
When you travel between Hong Kong and the mainland multiple times you do need a multiple entry visa for that purpose. Each time you enter China from Hong Kong or Macao, you need one entry. Citizens of most countries in North America and Europe can visit Hong Kong and Macao without a visa. You can check if you have to apply for a visa on http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_4.htm
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from date of application in order to get a visa. You can get a single or double entry visa if your passport expires in less than 12 months, but more than 6 months. You can only get a 12-month multiple entry visa if your passport is valid for at least 12 months.
When you are offered a job in China and want your spouse and children to accompany you they can get work visas as well. Their names need to appear on the supporting documents you receive from the Chinese employer. Or you can provide a copy of marriage license and the children’s birth certificates.
