Doing Business in China: The Sun Tzu Way

"Strike hard, retreat, seize a position, reject compromise, and strike again."—These are common negotiating tactics in a country with a long history of strategic philosophy.

Negotiating a deal in China requires patience—a well known Confucian virtue; persistence—something which comes with time; and survival instincts—something that comes with persistence. For both the uninitiated, Chinese business negotiations in China may come as a culture shock, laced with frustration. For the experienced China trade negotiator, it is a never–ending learning process. For both parties, the secret to negotiating in China may well lie in the knowledge of the military ploys described in China's ancient classics.

Drawing from the lessons of China's ancient military classic, Sun Tzu's The Art of War, Laurence J. Brahm applies these strategies to the foibles and successes of foreign and Chinese negotiators in China struggling to bridge cultural gaps in the process of closing deals. This revealing and humorous book offers a collection of real-life "war stories" and untold truths about hard knocks at the negotiating table and offers great insight into Chinese business etiquette. It is essential reading for business executives planning their business strategies for entering the Chinese market, and for mastering the art of negotiating.

Laurence J. Brahm is a political economist and lawyer who has spent his entire career involved with China, specializing in structuring and negotiating investments on behalf of multinationals. He lives in Beijing. He is the author of When Yes Means No! (or Yes or Maybe).