Archive for category Foreign Languages

As TJ has said many times, the key to a successful media interview or presentation is preparation. When you work with the media in Mainland China, you need to prepare in a special way. Before you arrive, you need to have a grasp of how the Chinese psyche works, and you need to respect China’s unique rituals and sensitivities.

At a Chinese media event, for example, it’s standard to hand each reporter a red envelope with some cash, usually between $30 and $45, a gift bag with all the materials they’ll need to write their story, including a small gift. An eyewear company I’ve worked with gives each reporter a pair of sunglasses. An automaker might give a model car. And if there are Western media present, you need to know not to give them a red envelope. (Often they’ll refuse to take the gift, as well.)

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