Wouldn’t It Be a Terrible Insult for Me to Insist on a Long and Expensive Contract at This Point? How Can I Insist on a Contract Now and Not Lose Face or Cause My Partner in China to Lose Face and Not Damage This Important Relationship?

I will begin with my usual interface with clients on a related point. I will ask them whether they are currently getting along well with their business partner(s). If they say yes, then I will usually smile and nod and tell them that this makes for a perfect time to negotiate a written contract—it is never good to try to work out a contract with someone when you are not getting along with them and when there is an absence of mutual respect and trust!