A White Man's China

By George Jaeggi

This book is dedicated to all of you reading my thoughts about my China experiences. I have met many people over my lifetime and each of them has given me some insight into what this world is all about and made me appreciate the title of the 1966 Clint Eastwood movie: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I am

• Language: English
• Publisher: Self Publishing
• Release date: Sep 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781958400784

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A White Man’s China

George Jaeggi

Copyright © 2023

George Jaeggi

ISBN

All Rights Reserved. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is strictly prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

All reasonable attempts have been made to verify the accuracy of the information provided in this publication. Nevertheless, the author assumes no responsibility for errors and/or omissions.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all of you reading my thoughts about my China experiences.

I have met many people over my lifetime and each of them has given me some insight into what this world is all about and made me appreciate the title of the 1966 Clint Eastwood movie: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

I am grateful for the patience and understanding of all my family, my wife Kim, my daughter Christine and her family, my son Brian and his family, and my four grandsons, Henry, Mason, Charlie, and Jordan. I would like to thank all my friends who encouraged me to write this book, and I hope you will enjoy the awkward ways of my worldview.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PART 1

The China I Discovered             5

But Why Write a Book About China?             8

History Lesson and Appreciation of the Past Chinese Culture

The New China After the Empires

Appreciation of the Many Chinese Cities I Visited

How Safe Is It to Be a Westerner in China?

Understanding the Chinese way of life

My Early Days in Xiamen

The Round Houses of the Hakka People

Shanghai My Favorite City

Unique Experiences and Observations Over My Many Journeys to China

Table of Contents

PART 2

Introduction to My China Business Adventures

When In China, Do as the Chinese Do!

Reasons to Expand Internationally

And Why Consider China?

My Lessons Learned During My 50+ Business Trips to China

Chapter 1 The Business Tourist

Chapter 2  You May Think that Everything in China Is Cheap!

Chapter 3  Where to Produce Is the Big Question!

Chapter 4  Beware of Hustlers and Politics

Chapter 5  Build a Solid Team and Avoid Costly Rookie Mistakes

Chapter 6  The Chinese Way of Doing Business

Chapter 7  The Chinese Way of Sales in China

Chapter 8  The Chinese Way of Developing a Supply Base

Chapter 9  How to Build Long-Lasting Business Relationships

About the Author

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Writing this book about my journeys to China has been a rewarding experience for me and it has made me aware of the many difficulties I encountered over my last 18 years. I have many people to thank for their encouragement that gave me the will and strength to complete this book. I express my deepest appreciation to my wife, Kim, my daughter Christine, and my son Brian for accepting and supporting me in my solitude while writing and rewriting my thoughts over and over.

However, nothing would have been achieved without all the people I met in my 50-plus journeys, and I like to thank and mention some of them, mainly using their English or Chinese first names only. Most of my Chinese friends with English-given names have picked out their English names themselves to integrate better with foreigners. I like to acknowledge my earliest contacts who have helped me to overcome my initial awkwardness and who have encouraged me to understand and appreciate the Chinese way of life: Special thanks to Joan W., Yang L., Marcus H., Alex, Annie, David, Machell, Andy, Bruce, Dong, Mark P. and all my WeChat friends Philip, Jeff, Austin, George G., Sandy, Boming, Angela, Omia, Susan, Paul, Jim, Charles, Szilveszter, Imre, Marion, Xin, Zhu, Curtis, Vinzzy, Marc Z. and many more….and you all know who you are and what you have contributed to my writing, The name of the book was a combination of remarks and suggestions made by many of you. You kept telling me that I should call the book A White Man’s China, as I was a white man in China who had the chance to discover a China that most white people will never get to know or understand. Many of you also kept encouraging me to write the book in a very simple fashion, which the readers can easily understand. It will encourage my Chinese friends to appreciate how a white man looks at China and how the Chinese appear to total strangers. You all have helped me to bridge the gap between our diverse cultures, and I am very grateful for all your encouragement and understanding.

I also like to mention the Penguin Book writer team for guiding me throughout the publishing and marketing process—special thanks to Ella, Jane, Rob, Haley, and Anna Marie.

Part 1

My unique personal experiences in China

How I discovered a China which was not the China I thought I knew

THE CHINA I DISCOVERED

I have been asked this question by many of my friends and general acquaintance. The only answer I can give them is that I feel it is important to hear my stories as a naïve business entrepreneur who traveled to China based on what I had read and was told by consultants. I thought I knew all about China, and then came the realization of how naïve I was when the real China was in front of me.

Many years ago, a very successful business friend told me that reading and dreaming about anything you want to do is great, but if you are serious about anything new, there is only one way to succeed. GO THERE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!

I realize now that successful consultants are basic salesmen who are great at their jobs and can sell and describe a side of the business their clients are looking for. The one problem is that most consultants do not understand the depth of your business needs, and they will easily convince you that everything is readily achievable. They have a network of business associates and will outsource business dealings to their friends, and in the end, they will take no responsibility for the outcome of their advice.

If money is no issue in your business, consultants are the way to go as long you give them directions on what you expect to be achieved. However, if you are a hands-on entrepreneur and money does not grow on trees in your backyard, you must be clear about your objectives and pick and choose your path forward.

In my writings, you will discover the many mistakes and setbacks I experienced in my early travels and business dealings in China. Then you will also discover how setbacks can educate you and give you the know-how and confidence to succeed.

While in China on business, I also took the opportunity to travel to many parts of China and get to know the many different ways of life of ordinary Chinese. I was in many touristy areas, but I also was able to visit places in China where I could spend days without meeting a Westerner, and I was able to get to know some aspects of ordinary life, including getting to appreciate the local foods in each region. Talking about Chinese food makes me smile. When people ask me if I like Chinese food, I usually ask them what they