| China’s 56 ethnicities are all Asiatic, so actually, comparatively speaking, there aren’t any major differences in race or skin color. However, because there are so many minorities in China, if in the course of doing business you encounter, uh, someone who’s a member of a minority, then you should pay comparatively more attention to whether his minority has any taboos. For example, Muslims—Muslims cannot eat pork. If you take them out to eat, buy them a meal, you must be careful that no dishes with pork are served. To not do so would be to seriously insult them.
Moreover, some minorities have their own more characteristic holidays. If it’s a holiday, you’d be better off, uh, not using it for a business meeting. Or, you can, on some of these minority holidays, um, get in touch with them and participate in their festivities. This brings you closer to them, uh, makes you friends and develops your, um, business contacts. I think it’s very helpful.
Uh, for women, these days China advocates gender equality. The slogan is “half the sky covers women.” But I think, um, all women hope that in their dealings with men, whether for business or on a personal level, men will demonstrate a certain standard of gentility. Um, for example, there are a few simple things, um, like opening doors, uh, like some kinds of table manners. I think that for women these things are…. For men, they’re probably just little things. But women really notice them. And I think that by offering women a kind of equal treatment, and having an attitude of mutual trust… I think that everybody, uh, everybody should be honest with each other, [then they] will probably become pretty good friends. Um, in today’s China, women are becoming more and more capable. I believe they can provide good support to your business.
| 啊，在中国因为56个民族都是黄种人，其实相对来说并没有很大的人种或者说是肤色的区别。不过在中国因为有很多的少数民族，所以如果你在生意交往中遇到，啊，有少数民族的朋友的话，那应该相对来说要注意一下他民族方面有没有一些相对的禁忌。比如说像回族，回族他是不能吃猪肉的。如果你请他吃、请他吃饭的话，一定得注意一下餐桌上有没有猪肉这道菜，否则，这是对他一种很严重的冒犯。而且有一些少数民族他有一些比较特殊的节日。如果是在节日这天的话，你最好可以，啊，不用跟他做一些商业的邀约。或者你可以，嗯，在一些少数民族的节日之间，与他进行一些沟通联系，参加一些他们的活动。这样对你增进感情，啊，交往朋友以及进一步开拓你的，嗯，生意圈，我觉得会很有帮助。啊，对女性来说，因为中国现在提倡男女平等，号称女性顶上半边天。不过我觉得，嗯，所有的女性都希望男士在交往中，不管是生意交往还是下来的朋友交往之中表现出一定的风度。嗯，比如说很简单的就是一些，嗯，像开门啦，啊，像餐桌上的一些礼仪呀。我觉得这些对女性而言，对男士而言可能是很小的事情，但是女性会把它记在心里面。而且我觉得对待女性就用一种平等，然后互谅的态度，我觉得大家都是，啊，大家应该坦诚相对，应该都会成为比较好的朋友。嗯，现在中国女性越来越能干，相信她们也能够成为你在生意上的好帮手。 |