Culture

It is very important to understand each others’ culture when doing business in order to avoid misunderstandings, and therefore potential problems. For example, if you were to give a potential Chinese partner a clock as a gift, you could cause great offense, as clocks represent death in Chinese culture. This may be taken as being such a bad omen, that the recipient of your gift may even end the business relationship immediately.
However, if you were to give a potential Chinese partner a cigarette or china as a gift, you could obtain great result, because cigarette or china represents rich and dignity in Chinese culture. This may be taken as being such a good omen, that the recipient of your gift may continue the business.
All in all, we can’t judge good or bad about the countries’ culture and taboo. But it is important that understand the culture which you do the business with the foreigners.