Top 5 Chinese Business Card Tips, Secrets, and Unknown Facts

1. The real decision makers normally stay behind the scenes, and they won't have a title on their business cards even if they exchange their business cards with you.

Many people may not know that the real decision makers in China normally stay behind the scenes.  Normally, you may not know who he really is, as he normally does not need to reveal his identity to you, nor does he need to tell you who he really is.  He certainly does not need to show you off with his titles and positions.  People know him already.

If you are lucky enough to be able to exchange business cards with him, you will notice that it will only show his name and a phone number, with nothing else.  When you call that number, one of his secretaries will answer the call. When you see a business card like this, you know you have found the true decision maker who normally stays behind the scenes.

2. If the word "China" appears on the company name of your Chinese business partner's Chinese business card, be extremely careful.

In China, only state-owned-enterprises affiliated with the Chinese central government, or the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), can use the word "China", or 中国, in the name of the company.  Unless your Chinese business partner really belongs to a state owned enterprise, you should be extremely careful because private companies, by law, cannot contain words such as "China", "Central", "Chinese" in the names of their companies.

Examples of state-owned-enterprises affiliated with the Chinese central government include

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), etc.

The names of private companies will need to have the names of the provinces where they were registered at.  Examples include Beijing Leyard Electronic Technology Co., Ltd, the largest LED display manufacturer in China.

3. If the word "Group" appears on the company name of your Chinese business partner's Chinese business card, be extremely careful.

In China, small companies cannot use the word "Group" in the names of their companies.  Companies that can use the word "Group" need to

1) Has a registered capital of at least 50 million RMB, and has at least 5 subsidiary companies
2) The registered capital of the parent company and subsidiary companies needs to be at least 100 million RMB

Does your Chinese business partner meet the above requirements?  If not, be extremely careful!

4. Most Chinese decision makes do not check the emails printed on their Chinese business card.  Their secretaries or their family members do it for them.

You may or may not know that the true decision makers in China, as of 2010, still do not check their emails.  They rely on their cell phones.  Many officials in China have three sets of cell phones.  One for their supervisors, one for their subordinates, and the other one is for their family members.

Thus, do not send sensitive information to the email addresses printed on their Chinese businesses cards, as they may not read them themselves.

5. When go to China, take at least 1000 copies of your Chinese business card.

.When you go to China for business meetings, everyone will want to exchange business cards with you.  You will exchange hundreds of business cards within just a few days.  Thus, please take at least 1000 Chinese business cards with you when you go to China.

Also see
Chinese Business Cards
Chinese business card etiquettes