Chinese Deals

I shook hands with Mr. Sun in a historical district of Hong Kong at an upscale Chinese restaurant. He motioned to sit down and asked, “Jasmine or Oolong tea?”

Just an hour before, I had finished teaching an extra-curricular program in The New Territories. It’s grueling work teaching four continuous hours to rowdy kindergartners. It took everything I had to act fresh and lively for Mr Sun.

He asked to sit closer to me and then joked about not offending my husband. I knew he wanted to study my face, and then he immediately commented on my strong upper build. I expected this.

The menu was bi-lingual so I tried to hide my disgust when he wanted my input. Ordering in a traditional Chinese Restaurant is like trying to buy tires. Everything looks the same and yet there is a concise fit for the size and style of your appetite. I always fail at these choices that are so easy for natives, and I began to wonder if Chinese-Americans have the same problem at Denny’s.

Mr. Sun acknowledged my hesitancy by summoning the waiter. Then he directed the conversation towards my personal life. “In what state were you born?”,”How long have you been married?”,”How do you like Hong Kong?”

He listened closely…not so much to my answers but more to my annunciation and voice projection. After all, I was being casually auditioned for a part in a “Learn to Speak English” video.

Mr. Sun pulled out a portable DVD player and popped in his last “Learn to Speak English” VCD. It gave me an opportunity to ask about time-lines and working hours for the upcoming video. Slowly we ironed out the details while munching on steamed buns and pot-stickers.

The restaurant began to shut down in preparation for the evening crowd. Mr. Sun utilized this inconvenient time to talk about money.

“How much do you expect to be paid?” He was direct in order to make me feel uncomfortable.

I brushed him off by stating, “I don’t know what you are offering.”

He pressured me and persisted in saying that he was willing to accept my price and budget accordingly. I submitted and eventually offered, “300 (HKD) is my hourly teaching rate.” It was a lie, but I felt it was appropriate to make such a claim. Otherwise, how would I charge what I think is fair?

Mr Sun computed the figures on his calculator and flashed my final salary. I hesitated in order to show my slight dissatisfaction. My actions were all part in parcel to the show.

We walked out of the restaurant doors as the staff vacuumed. Minutes later we shook hands at the MTR stop.

Mr. Sun coolly slipped in, “I’m looking forward to doing business with you but your price is too high.”

In order to stand my ground I made a comment about the salary of another actor involved. He promised to call in a month but said he was only 99% sure that I was the right candidate. I still stood firm on my price. Striking Chinese deals is a precise game.

Later that night I had dinner with a US friend. She is also painfully aware of wheeling and dealing in Asia. Her comment was “In US business deals there’s more of a focus on each side feeling satisfied and even-handed. In Asia, each side is trying to get the best rate.”

I wasn’t eager to disagree.