Business opportunities in China are opening up rapidly. If you are planning an international expansion of your business, you can think of China and Hong Kong as the preferred locations. For that, you might have to travel to China quite often for discussing and negotiating business plans and strategies. However, for travelling to China, you will have to meet certain criteria and understand some basic things. Business travelers to China should keep certain things in mind so that they have a successful business venture.
Mentioned below are some essential tips for business travelers to China:
- Passport and visa should be in proper order – An American citizen visiting China for the business purpose should have a valid passport in place. The passport should have a minimum validity of 6 months. If it is less than that, it is recommended to get the passport renewed before the travel plan. Check the passport in advance so that you have abundant time in hand for its renewal. Though express renewal services are also available, they will be expensive.
Along with the passport, Chinese visa from US will also be needed for the business travel. You will have to apply for China visa for the business purpose since your intent of travel is business-oriented. If you are in a real hurry, you will also get the same day China visa from USA by applying via expedite services. You will have to pay an additional fee for availing the expedite visa service. The same is applicable when you apply for a tourist China visa. The visa kind can be for single-entry or multiple entries.
- Choose the right flights – When it comes to business travelling, most companies and organizations book the flights for the travelers. However, it is recommended not to rely completely on the corporate travel agent. You can do some search on your own. You should look for flights, which have minimum layovers. This will reduce your time to reach your destination and also protect from jetlag. Choose a flight in which you will land in China in the evening. With this, you will be able to find some time to prepare for your business meet the next day and get some rest and sleep at night.
- Pack as light as possible – Know the limitation of hand luggage in your flight. If possible, try avoiding checking in luggage altogether. This means that you will not need to wait to collect your luggage once the flight lands. You can reach the hotel sooner. Laundry services in majority fof the hotels are excellent and not expensive as well. Just pack the essentials. However, check the weather in the country at that time. Layered clothing is preferred in this regard.
- Look for Chinese a cell phone plan with your service provider – Business travelers intending to visit China must check with their cell phone network providers the rates they will be charged for making and receiving calls from China. Buying a prepaid telephone card is a good idea as these are fairly inexpensive. With this, making calls from all over China becomes easier and simplified and calls from all across the globe can be received.
- Bring in suitable converters and adapters – As a business traveler, it is obvious that you will be carrying a laptop or a tab, smartphone and other kinds of electronic devices. Ensure that you have the right kinds of converters and adapters in place as the electric voltage is different in China from that of the US. If you forget to pack them, you can find them at local stores or even at the airport. You can make the powering-up more convenient and easy by bringing a handy multi-device charger.
- Know about the currency properly – Personal checks are not accepted in China. Restaurants, hotels and other facilities in large cities will accept credit cards. Two of the common ones include Visa and American Express; make sure that you carry these two kinds so that you can use them in need. It is also recommended to have some cash in hand on arrival. This will be needed for making payments in cabs and for local transportation. Currency in Hong Kong is different from that of Mainland China; be careful about that.
- If possible learn little Chinese – It is true that learning a language like Chinese is not that simple. But try learning a few common terms and words so that you can have a little smooth conversation and communication. Common greeting terms, some words of etiquette etc. are quite useful, particularly for business travelers.
Follow these simple steps and you can be a successful business traveler to China.
