Hong Kong Orientation Guide

Business Customs

+ Business cards should be printed in English on one side and in Chinese on the other side. + Business cards are given and received with two hands. It is considered respectful to examine thecardafterreceiving it. + Standard business attire is a suit and tie year-round. Women dress in business suits also. + Punctuality for appointments is important. + Tea, coffee or water should be offered to visitors. When offered, it is polite to accept. Take a sipatleast. + If tea is served during a meeting, do not touch yours until the host begins. If the tea sits untouched for a long period, this may signal the meeting has ended. + Business entertaining is almost always done in restaurants, not in the home. Hospitality should be returned. + When invited to a Chinese dinner it is not necessary to bring a gift unless the dinner is for a special reason such as a birthday. We would recommend you check with any others who are attending forguidance. + It is polite to let your host order the food. + You will usually be served meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The soup and rice will be served towards the end of the meal. Guests leave immediately after the dessert is served. + Wait for the host to begin. He or she may suggest you help yourselves and you should do so. + Take the piece of food that is closest to you. It is not polite to reach across the table or stand up to reachotherdishes even if the table is very large. + If your chopsticks touch a piece of food, consider it yours. + If a serving spoon is provided, always use that to serve yourself; otherwise chopsticks are fine. Never eat from the serving spoon. + If a sauce comes with the dish, use your chopsticks to dip the food into the sauce, or alternatively,pour a little of it onto your plate.If youhave alreadybitten into the food,do not dip it in the sauce. + Avoid pointing your chopsticks at anyone, as this is considered rude – interpreted to be adopting a scolding posture. + Take one piece of food at a time, or at least a small portion. + Bones may be removed from the mouth with the help of chopsticks and placed on your plate. + Avoid taking the last piece of food from the serving dish even if the host insists. It may signal to thehostthathehasnotorderedenoughfoodandhisguestsarestillhungry. + If you are eating fish, it is often served in one piece with the head and tail intact. Often the headofthe fish isoffered to themostdistinguishedguest.Acknowledge thehonoreven if you do not eat it. Dining Out

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