Respect.
The all important word.
Respect.
Countries go to war for it.
Men kill and die for it.
Anyone who has dealings, even on a very limited level, with the Chinese very quickly learns the meaning and the value of the term 「face」. 面子 (mian zi)
In business, it is not enough to have the right product, the right market, the right price, or the right contact. Sometimes, despite all logic, people form their opinions and base their decisions on nothing more than kimogi (mood, feel).
In Chinese society, there has been for millennium a very strict social hierarchy based on age, rank, social position, etc. In recent modern years some might argue that young people do not observe social customs and traditions as much as before, however it is the author's opinion that the more educated, cultured, sophisticated and 有教養 (have proper upbringing) class of society still follow many of the old customs. Of course, tolerance is exercised towards a foreigner who is most probably unaware of such customs, but you certainly would score some points with any acquaintance if you happened to know, and further observe such customs.
One very important, easy to remember and put into practice custom, involves drinking. In any social gathering, be it in business, or family and friends, there is food and drink, and in the case of business often alcohol. There is great etiquette involved in drinking, and a refusal to drink with someone is to the Chinese, the equivalent of refusing to break bread with someone in the West.
Cultural note:
The common greeting of 「How are you?」 or 「你好嗎」？ (ni hao ma) is perhaps the text book standard greeting. However by no means is it the only means of greeting, and certainly not the most personal, affectionate, intimate, or heartfelt form of a standard public greeting.
To illustrate my point let us look at the origins of the word for 「happiness」 福 (fu).
http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi/ZdicE7ZdicA6Zdic8F.htm
It begins with the 礻radical where the small horizontal stroke on top represents 「heaven」 or 「that which is above one's head」 and the 3 vertical strokes represent, depending on interpretation either heaven, earth, and man, or, 3 sticks of incense, in both cases for worship of the Heavens/Supreme/God/etc. Next on the right on the bottom we have 田 or 「rice field」 「grain field」 etc, and above it we have a full grain storage warehouse. So this gives the meaning and concept of happiness. What is happiness? A full stomach and an abundance of food.
Any city that has been under siege throughout history is quickly reminded that you cannot eat dollar bills, no matter the currency. In the words of Kuatilya aka Chanakya 「there is no wealth like grains」.
Which brings back to our topic, an affectionate, personal, intimate, standard public and widely used greeting.
A note about translating.
"Fidelity", "Understandability", "Gracefulness".
Fidelity takes first priority.
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