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China

 
     
    • Population: 
      1,220,000,000 (1997 est.) 
     
    • Age structure: 
     
        0-14 years: 
        26% (female 151,266,866; male 167,234,782) 
     
        15-64 years: 
        67% (female 391,917,572; male 419,103,994) 
     
        65 years and over: 
        7% (female 39,591,692; male 33,982,362) (1997 est.) 
     
    • Population growth rate: 
      1.93% (1997 est.) 
     
    • Birth rate: 
      17.78 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 
     
    • Death rate: 
      7.36 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) 
     
    • Net migration rate: 
      0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) 
     
    • Infant mortality rate: 
      52.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) 
     
    • Life expectancy at birth: 
     
        total population: 
        68.08 years 
     
        male: 
        67.09 years 
     
        female: 
        69.18 years (1997 est.) 
     
    • Total fertility rate: 
      1.84 children born/woman (1997 est.) 
     
    • Nationality: 
     
        noun: 
        Chinese (singular and plural) 
     
        adjective: 
        Chinese 
     
    • Ethnic divisions: 
      Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1% 
     
    • Religions: 
      Daoism (Taoism), Buddhism, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1% (est.) 
     
        note: 
        officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic 
     
    • Languages: 
      Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic divisions entry) 
     
    • Literacy: 
      age 15 and over can read and write  
     
        total population: 
        78% 
     
        male: 
        87% 
     
        female: 
        68% 
     
    • Labor force: 
      583.6 million (1997) 
     
        by occupation: 
        agriculture and forestry 60%, industry and commerce 25%, construction and mining 5%, social services 5%, other 5% (1997 est.) 
         
    • Women in Labor Force:

      • 40% (1997 est.)
         
    • Refugee Information:
       
      On one level Chinese business and social etiquette and relationships are complex and hierarchical. It is therefore necessary for visitors to observe some basic rules. 

      On another level however, Chinese business culture is very open and relaxed, much more so than eg. Japanese etiquette. Creating a favourable impression depends on exhibiting common courtesy, respect and a degree of modesty. There are no religious or other taboos for a foreign to unwittingly break, although there are some fairly obvious political sensitivities. 

      The following are a few guidelines for specific situations. 

      1.   Greetings  

      A handshake is the normal greeting for men and women, 
      irrespective of age or seniority. When meeting genuine "old friends" a handshake clasped in both hands may be used. 

      When entering a room or meeting a group of people, the most 
      senior Chinese person will be the first to greet you, followed by others in approximate descending order of seniority. 

      2.   Handing Out Business Cards 

      You should present and receive business cards with the card held in both hands. This practice is strongly observed by older people, but less so by younger. 

      Never throw or flick a name card across a table. If someone is too 
      far away, it is appropriate to stand and reach over the table, or 
      walk around the table to present the card. 

      When greeting a number of people, you may either shake hands 
      and present a card to each individual in turn or, shake hands with 
      the group, then present cards to each person. 

      3.   Meetings 

      Meeting rooms especially for more formal or senior meetings are generally laid out in a horseshoe shape with the most 
      senior representative seated side by side at the top (with 
      interpreters) then each side ranged down one side of the room in 
      approximate order of seniority. As with "Greetings", if members of 
      the group are already known to the Chinese, they should take a 
      position near the leader to assist with discussions.  Chinese tea is usually served. It will not cause offence if you do not sip, although if you host motions for you to try the tea then you should do so. BEWARE - the tea can be scaldingly hot. 

      If the meeting is held around a conference table then the leader 
      should take up a position in the centre directly opposite the main 
      host. 

      In formal or senior meetings, it is common for only the two leaders 
      and perhaps one or two other people to speak with the remainder 
      being spectators. It is appropriate for the leader to call on other members of the team to make a specific comment or provide an 
      answer. 

      4.   Banquets 

      The traditional Chinese banquet consists of 10-12 courses, starting with cold appetisers, then various meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes ending with soup, dessert and fresh fruit. The banquet usually lasts one and a half hours and is held at round tables seating 10-15 people. The normal size is 10-12.   In senior level or formal banquets food is served for guests by staff. In less formal situations plates are put on a Lazy Susan and guests help themselves. 

      It is common, for the first dish at least, for hosts to serve small 
      quantities of food onto the plates of guests. The host has separate pair of chopsticks for doing this. Thereafter the guests are usually invited to help themselves. 

      It is quite acceptable to use a serving spoon to help transfer the 
      food to your plate, if you are having difficulty (some Chinese food 
      is not chop stick friendly!) 

      You should try to taste all the dishes served. If there is something 
      you don't like, you can quietly push it to one side. If your hosts 
      insist on you trying something you should do so but the remainder can be left. If you finish your bowl it is usually taken as a sign that 
      you would like a second helping. 

      Overall, the Chinese are intensely proud of their food and it will 
      cause offence to turn something down completely. If you have a 
      strong aversion to something or an allergy then you may explain 
      that and it will be accepted. 

      5.   Dinner Speeches/Toasts 

      In more formal banquets a brief speech and toast of introduction will be made at the beginning of the meal by the host. Immediately following, or a few minutes later the main guest should reply with a brief speech and toast. Throughout the meal it is customary for toasts to be made on both sides. 

      At the end of the meal (once the fresh fruit dish has been eaten), it 
      is usual for the main guest to thank the host on behalf of the group. The host will then respond. 

      Unless the conversation is flowing extremely well and people are 
      well known to each other, banquets usually break up rather 
      abruptly after the final course and round of toasts. As Westerners 
      are not always adept at knowing the appropriate time to leave, the host will often signal the end of the banquet by thanking the guest and rising, which is the signal for everyone to stand. 

      Whoever proposes a toast is responsible for setting the pace on 
      how much is to be drunk, eg. a sip, half glass or bottoms up. Others will watch that persons lead. 

      It is usual to clink glasses eg. either those immediately beside you, 
      but not obligatory for each toast. 

      The toasting terms "ganbei" ("gunbay") can mean "bottoms up" or 
      "Cheers", depending on what the person proposing the toast then does. 

      In more formal situations it is usual to sip, and would be 
      considered impolite to challenge a senior host to "bottoms up". If 
      that occurred they would usually ask a junior member to stand in for them. 

      It is more common for less senior members of the group, and 
      particularly those who have met before to "gun bay" to reinforce their friendship. 
       
      6.   Gifts 

      Gifts should be small and inexpensive. Natural products and corporate gifts are most appropriate, eg. wood carvings, New Zealand Greenstone items etc.. Very few Chinese women have pierced ears so avoid giving that type of jewellery. 
      If you are meeting at a banquet, the gifts should be presented at the end. 

      It is common for Chinese not to open a gift in front of you, but they may do so, particularly if you indicate you would like them to do so, and wish to explain something about the gift's background. 

      It is not obligatory to present a gift to all present. It may be appropriate, especially for a senior person, to present a gift to them only or at most one or two others with smaller gifts. If there is a group of people it is safest to present a gift to the most senior person only. If you would like to give a junior person, eg interpreter or escort person a personal gift for their assistance, this is often best done privately, rather than in front of senior people or other colleagues.