Wu Guangqiang

    jw368@163.com

    THERE has been a tenet among Chinese businesspeople since ancient times: heqi shengcai, which literally means harmony brings wealth.

    The Chinese term heqi basically means being kind and polite. Western cultures also place importance on courtesy and etiquette, yet Chinese heqi is far more than politeness.

    Those Western businesspeople who frequently deal with Chinese counterparts must have learned the ropes of doing business in China. They have to build a good personal relationship with their Chinese partners first, which means plenty of wining and dining until firm trust is established between them.

    As is widely believed, the presence of good guanxi, or connection, is the key to business success in China.

    In a modern sense, this is something pathetic, as when guanxi even supersedes the significance of a business contract, it leads to the exchange of interests and inevitably to business-official collusions and widespread corruption.

    Obviously, pure guanxi will do Chinese business more harm than good. In fact, China has been engaged in unremitting efforts to reform business practices and transform Chinese businesspeople into ones who are law-abiding, contract-adhering and considerate of social wellbeing.

    China is an integrated part of the world now, but it is still basically a Confucian society and traditional doctrines like Confucianism and Taoism as pragmatic social rules permeate Chinese people’s every behavior.

    Profound as Confucianism is, the essence of it has deeply influenced ordinary Chinese people for centuries with five virtues: kindness, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness. Intentionally or unintentionally, Chinese businesspeople have also adhered to these teachings in business deals.

    The combination of diligence and the five virtues makes Chinese people successful merchants throughout history and across the world.

    If you attribute the tremendous success of Chinese merchants in many Asian countries including Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines to the long existence of the large number of ethnic Chinese, then you will find the success stories of new Chinese migrants in Europe more convincing.

    This is a typical story of Chinese getting rich through hard work on foreign soil. A young couple from Wenzhou, an eastern Chinese city in Zhejiang Province, which is renowned for its booming private economy, traveled all the way to a European country, say, Italy, rented a tiny shop, starting their business as a tailor or seamstress.

    They worked day and night, without any day off. They had a bite of dried bread with a cup of hot water as lunch or dinner. They slept under the counter during the night. They dreaded nothing on their way to realizing their dreams. They saved every penny they earned.

    Over time, with hard-earned money, they bought the shop from the owner. In another few years, they bought more shops on the same street, which led to their bringing more relatives and friends over to help with the expanded business. In the end, they owned the whole street. In certain towns, Chinese-owned factories and shops make up the bulk of the local economy.

    The idea of harmony bringing wealth has also been expressed in China’s foreign policy. The firm conviction that only mutual respect and benefit can produce common prosperity has led China to seeking equal relations with foreign countries. China has never attempted to impose its own values and practices on others, nor has it tried to reap benefits from unequal deals.

    It is in this belief that China has initiated a series of efforts to promote common development including “the Belt and Road,” the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and BRICS Bank.

    A recent CCTV (China Central Television) documentary series shows how China helps developing countries in Asia and Africa improve their infrastructures. Many countries are in urgent need of roads, power plants, ports and Internet networks, the lack of which hinders the development of the local economy.

    At the recent Davos forum, President Xi Jinping reiterated China’s commitment to promoting economic globalization and global development.

    In contrast, U.S. President Donald Trump has wielded the banner of protectionism since he took office under the slogan of “America First.” He even chanted such outdated slogans as “Buying American goods and hiring American workers.”

    Time will prove which approach will prevail.

    (The author is an English tutor and freelance writer.)