Want to Do Business With the Chinese? Here's What You Need to Know

China's growing commercial footprint across the Global South is creating new opportunities, but major knowledge gaps remain over how Chinese businesses build trust, negotiate, and form partnerships. Guanxi, institutional norms, and long-term relationships can matter as much as contracts and competitive pricing. At the same time, Chinese companies are still adapting unevenly to local cultures. Firms operating in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East increasingly recognize the value of local relationships and cultural knowledge, but many continue to prioritize speed and product specifications over local expectations. Sun Muyang, author of How Chinese Business Actually Works: 15 Themes on the Institutional, Historical, and Human Logic Beneath the Surface, joins Eric to discuss the logic of Chinese business, including guanxi and trust-building, competitive pricing, and Chinese companies' adaptation to Global South markets.

Show Notes

How Chinese Business Actually Works: 15 Themes on the Institutional, Historical, and Human Logic Beneath the Surface (English Edition) • by Muyang SUN and Joyce XIE 📌 Topics Covered in This Episode • Guanxi and Trust in Chinese Business • The Hidden Logic Behind Chinese Business Practices • Reading Chinese Business Signals • Understanding Chinese Pricing and Competitiveness • Chinese Companies Adapting to Global South Markets • Practical Advice for Doing Business With China Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: chinaglobalsouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas