Issue No. 4 · May 10, 2026 What “Whatever” Really Means in Chinese Business Communication One evening, my husband asked me where I wanted to eat dinner. I said "whatever you want." He picked a place. I made a face. He has learned, since then, that "whatever" does not mean whatever. It means: I have a preference, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. You're supposed to figure it out. One day he looked at me and said: you know, you sound exactly like the Chinese business partners I used to...
24 days ago • 1 min read
Issue No. 3 · April 21, 2026 In America You Can Talk to Anyone, In China You Need a Reason The first time I went hiking in the United States, something kept happening that I didn't expect. Every person walking toward me on the trail would look up, make eye contact, and say something. "Good morning." "Beautiful day." "How's it going?" Complete strangers. People I had never seen and would never see again. I said hello back. But inside, I was quietly noting something: this would almost never...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Issue No. 2 · April 14, 2026 Warm, polite...and completely unreadable My husband Ashbey told me something once that has stayed with me. He said he finds it exhausting to talk to Chinese people sometimes. Not because of the language. He said they want to say something, but they only say half of it and leave you to figure out the rest. Or they use words that are vague enough to mean almost anything. He said he never really knew what the other person meant. He was always guessing. I asked him:...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Issue No. 1 · April 8, 2026 Doing Business in China: Is Talking Politics a Bonding Moment or a Landmine? Trump has confirmed his visit to China in May 2026. I’ve watched a lot of Western executives in moments like this, and watched their Chinese counterparts too. The two sides are almost living in different worlds. The Western exec’s instinct: this is a great conversation topic. There’s news, there’s common ground, let’s talk. Especially over dinner, when it feels like bringing up politics...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read