Going East or West?
A Handbook for American and Chinese Business Travelers

We invite you to browse the introductions from each section in our book. We have included extensive directory listings for each of the related topics in the book. Our international business directory is also available online. Whether you are an experienced business traveler or going abroad for the first time, you will find useful information and cultural insights in our book. Brief stories in each section illustrate cultural issues and situations on both sides of the planet.

I was staying in the guest house of a small college in central China. One day, several students came to visit me. I had some cookies and hot water. I offered the cookies and suggested some instant coffee or tea. They all said no, no one wanted anything. Being from the Midwestern US, I wished I'd had something else to offer, supposing they would have preferred soft drinks or some other snack. But I didn't have anything else and accepted that they did not want what I had. We talked for awhile, then they left. It was not until several months later that I learned I'd made a cultural mistake. ...