The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce and VKW Limburg organized the workshop: ‘Negotiating with the Chinese: Cultural Roots & Practical Recommendations’ on 19 November 2018 at VKW Limburg in Hasselt. Mr. Bo Ji, Chief Representative Europe & Assistant Dean Global Executive Education of the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, was the keynote speaker.

This seminar offered guidance to business leaders on how to leverage cultural differences, complexity, uncertainty, and conflicts during the negotiation process with their Chinese partners.

Attendees gained a comparative understanding of the practical Chinese and Western approaches to negotiation as well as sharpened their own negotiation skills through learning from multiple case studies and real-life contexts. Furthermore, they identified the cultural roots behind business scenarios, providing them with the knowledge to reshape their strategies and tactics. The attending business leaders also learned to optimize their approach to a win-win value creation through negotiating with the Chinese to achieve a sustainable partnership.

Following registration and lunch, Ms Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce, delivered the opening remarks. Subsequently the topics covered included: “China vs West: different cultural negotiating models”, “Chinese cultural roots and elements to shape the negotiating skills” and “Strategies that lead you to a better negotiation outcome”. A Q&A session, group discussion and networking concluded the event.