Dress - T

· For business, men should wear a conservative suit and tie. A jacket may be removed during meetings if your Taiwanese counterpart does so first.
· Women should wear a conservative skirt and blouse or suit.
· Dress modestly for casual activities.
· Revealing clothing for women is considered a mark of poor character.

Dress - C

· For business, men should wear conservative suits, shirts, and ties. Loud colors are not appropriate. Women should also wear conservative suits, with high-necked blouses, and low heels; their color should be as natural as possible.
· At formal occasions, no high heels or evening gowns are necessary for women unless the event is a formal reception given by a foreign diplomat. Men may wear suits and ties.

Gifts - T

· Gift giving is often appreciated within a business setting. Good gifts for a first trip include items with small company logos on them. Be sure the products were not manufactured in Taiwan.
· When giving or receiving a gift, use both hands. The gift is not opened in the presence of the giver.
· The Chinese traditionally decline a gift three times before accepting; this prevents them from appearing greedy. Continue to insist; once they accept the gift, say you are pleased that they have done so.
· The Taiwanese associate all the following gifts and colors with funerals; avoid them:
- Straw sandals
- Clocks
- Storks or cranes
- Handkerchiefs (often given at funerals; they symbolize sadness and weeping)
- Gifts (or wrapping paper) in which the predominant color is white, black, or blue
· Also avoid gifts of knives, scissors, or cutting tools; to the Taiwanese they suggest the severing of a friendship.
· Flowers were traditionally associated only with the sick, with weddings, and with funerals. Should you have cause to bring flowers as a gift, make sure you give an even number of flowers. An odd number of flowers would be very unlucky.
· At Chinese New Year it is customary to give a gift of money in a red envelope to children and to the service personnel you deal with on a regular basis. This gift is called a hong bao. Give only new bills in even numbers and even amounts.
· It is customary to reciprocate a gift with one of similar value. Therefore, choose a gift that takes into account the receiver’s economic means.

Gifts - C

· Gift giving is a sensitive issue in China. Technically, it is against the law, but the acceptance of gift giving is increasing.
· Avoid giving anything of value in front of others, as it could cause the recipient both embarrassment and trouble.
· A gift from your company to the Chinese organization or factory is acceptable. Make it clear that the gift is on behalf of the whole company you represent and that it is for the whole group on the receiving end. Be sure to present the gift to the acknowledged leader of the Chinese delegation. Gifts of this sort might include items from your region of the country, like local crafts, historical memorabilia, or an illustrated book.
· A banquet is considered an acceptable gift. Your Chinese hosts will certainly give you one, and you should reciprocate.
· High-quality pens are a luxury any Chinese appreciates. Other good gifts include kitchen gadgets and expensive liquors, like a good cognac.
· When giving or receiving a gift, use both hands. The gift is not opened in the presence of the giver.
· The Chinese traditionally decline a gift three times before accepting; this prevents them from appearing greedy. Continue to insist; once they accept the gift, say you are pleased that they have done so.
· The Chinese associate all the following gifts and colors with funerals; avoid them:
- Straw sandals
- Clocks
- Storks or cranes
- Handkerchiefs (often given at funerals; they symbolize sadness and weeping)
- Gifts (or wrapping paper) in which the predominant color is white, black, or blue
· If possible, wrap gifts in red, a lucky color; pink and yellow, happy, prosperous colors are also good choices. Do not use white, which is the color for funerals.
· All business negotiations should be concluded before gifts are exchanged.
· At Chinese New Year it is customary to give a gift of money in a red envelope to children and to the service personnel you deal with on a regular basis. This gift is called a hong bao. Give only new bills in even numbers and even amounts.

Gestures - T

· Do not wink at person, even in friendship.
· Do not put your arm around another’s shoulders. While young children of the same sex will often hold hands, it is inappropriate for others to do so or to make physical contact with people who are not good friends or family.
· Do not touch the head of another person’s child. Children are considered precious, and it is believed that they may be damaged by careless touching.
· Feet are considered dirty and should not touch things or people. Men should keep their feet flat on the floor, while women are permitted to cross their legs.
· The Taiwanese point with their open hand, since pointing with a finger is considered rude. They beckon by extending their hand palm down and waving their fingers.
· While westerners point to their chest to indicate the person “I”, the Taiwanese will point to their noses to indicate the same thing.

Gestures - C

· Avoid making exaggerated gestures or using dramatic facial expressions. The Chinese do not use their hands when speaking, and become distracted by a speaker who does.
· The Chinese do not like to be touched by people they do not know. This is especially important to remember when dealing with older people or people in important positions.
· Members of the same sex may be seen publicly holding hands, but public affection between the opposite sexes is not condoned.
· Use an open hand rather than one finger to point.
· To beckon, turn the palm down and wave the fingers toward the body.
· Do not put your hands in your mouth (biting your nails, dislodging food from your teeth); this is considered disgusting.

Titles - T

· Names are listed in a different order from western names. Each person receives a family name, a generational name, and a given name at birth, in that order. Generational and given names can be separated by a space or a hyphen, but are often written as one word. For example, President Li Teng Hui has the family name of Li, a generational name of Teng, and a given name of Hui.
· Most people you meet should be addressed with a title and their name. if a person does not have a professional title (President, Engineer, Doctor), simple use Mr. or Madam, Mrs. or Miss, plus the name.
· Chinese wives do not generally take their husband’s surnames, but instead maintain their maiden names. Although westerners commonly address a married woman as Mrs. plus her husband’s family name, it is more appropriate to call her Madam plus her maiden family name. Li Chu Chin (female) is married to Chang Wu Jiang (male). While westerners would probably call her Mrs. Chang, she is properly addressed as Madam Li.
· If many Chinese seem to have similar clan names, it is because there are only about 400 different surnames in China. However, when they are transcribed into a western language, there are several possible variations. For example, Wong, Wang, and Huang are all versions of the same Chinese clan name.