The Chinese at the Negotiating Table: Style and Characteristics

When, in 1972, the United States opened trade negotiations with the Peoples Republic of China - after 23 years of little contact owing to the absence of diplomatic recognition - most representatives were uncertain how to negotiate with the Chinese. What little they knew had come through foreign reports and from transcripts of the Panmunjon negotiations in Korea. But once China opened its doors, a great deal was at stake for both nations.In this volume, Alfred Wilhelm examines the process of negotiating with the Chinese, using historical examples and analyses of cases from 1953 to the present. He debunks the myth of legendary Chinese patience, assesses American reaction to negotiating with the Chinese, and analyzes the Chinese approach to negotiations. He reveals elements of continuity in Chinese behavior that surfaced during talks with the United States since as early as 1949.The United States will likely continue to increase its contacts with China as that nation modernizes and opens up to the world. Because the Chinese have approached negotiation in a consistent pattern, even to such details as to what clothes they wear and which way they want the chairs to face, American negotiators can prepare themselves to work more advantageously with their PRC counterparts. This book shows the way.