[Allegra]

In 2001, I was sent to China on business. Before leaving, I sat through a one hour Chinese cultural class my company provided to prevent us from unwittingly pulling a social faux pas while there.

The Chinese man who gave the class told us point blank that deception is part of the culture and that the Chinese thought Americans were strange because we were so forthright and open.

[Scotswife]

When I took an international relations course in college they told us it is very difficult for women to conduct business in China as it was common to drink heavily and go to strip bars after the business meetings.