I hope it is clear from my posts that the Chinese people were friendly. They were always gracious hosts. They were curious about us, and they openly talked about themselves. I never felt any hostility, certainly not toward us individually and neither toward Americans generally. I felt more welcome in China than I sometimes do in Canada.
Even strangers were considerate and helpful. An example: On one of the domestic flights, airport security wanted to inspect my carry-on bag. The security officer asked me to open my bag, but after searching it and taking things out to inspect, he repacked it for me. He was most courteous.
This is not to say that Chinese businesspeople are not opportunistic. They will take advantage of opportunities as they see fit.
In Chinese society and business, contacts seem more important than contracts. The Chinese word is "guanxi." Chinese people exert considerable effort building networks of social relationships.
