The business appeal of China, Hong Kong in particular, is like a red rag to the energetic Daniël Ben-Ezra. This already led him into some typical Asian tours de force; from a stage-managed meeting with an intimidating majority of participants, to binge drinking competitions at business dinners. However, according to him, the corporate gap between Hong Kong and Europe is not that huge. “Of course there are some differences. Promises are easier made than we usually tend to do. And therefore, they are of lesser value. This could be due to the fact that the Chinese, in my experience, avoid conflicts. Consequently they are quick to make promises, even if they don’t really understand what you mean.”

If you compare the European way of doing business with that of the Chinese, the importance of networking in China is paramount. Moreover, decisions are invariably made at the top of the pyramid. There is a strong hierarchy. For example, it is a waste of time talking to assistants as they have little or no authority to make decisions. The Chinese are also very bureaucratic, they love the red tape of seals, multiple signatures and copies of forms.

Apart from the demographic diversity, there are of course similarities between mainland China and Hong Kong. “The Chinese are equally ambitious and keen to profit from the growth of their super power. The country is developing itself just like the former British colony, to western standards of lifestyle and income. That does not necessarily mean that Europe or the United States of America set the tone.”

When it boils down to how to successfully position yourself between all the other budding trendsetters, Daniël Ben-Ezra is more than emphatic. “The Chinese business culture is hard, ambitious and networking is very important. That demands versatility, determination and an open-minded approach, alongside the willingness to learn and work hard: common sense really. If, on top of that, you are able to communicate clearly, be polite and show respect to others, doors will open, which otherwise would have remained firmly closed.”

Currently China’ economy ranks it #4 in the world so there is no doubt the regulations of the People’s Republic of China are working well for the people of China. However, the biggest criticized of the Chinese economy is that it appears the rich people keep on getting richer and the poor people never escape from poverty.

To help with the growing gap in the different social classes China underwent a political balancing act to help rectify the situation. This process was introduced in the 1990′s. The government worked hard to instill market reform. China really seemed to do well with the changed until the energy crisis that occurred in the late 1990′s. One issue that many countries have to contend with is unemployment. China appears to have the opposite problem. Since 2005 they have had a shortage of workers in the labor force to keep up with the continuous growth.

Skilled workers are needed for the corporations and technology while unskilled laborers are needed for tending to the farms. China is the 3rd worldwide in the amount of production annually in their factories. Agriculture is a huge part of the Chinese economy with more than 300 million people working in that area. The foods grown in China are highly exported. It is estimated that their food exports feed up to 20% of the world’s population.

The growth of China has some of the leaders in the country worried though. They are continually increasing the amount of natural resources they consume on an annual basis. The pollution and other environmental problems that come from the high number of factories are a concern. China’s economy is certainly growing, but it has a long ways to go, which means there are lots of opportunities available.