Today’s the very first day of Max’s internship in Taiwan. Just like he would back at home, he arrives late to avoid being the first person in the office. After arriving, he introduces himself to the other employees and greets them with a handshake. Then he goes up to his new boss and gifts him a watch. His boss looks at him, shocked. Max is confused: “What did go wrong? I did everything just like I used to do it back at home.”

And that is precisely the mistake Max made. In order to avoid embarrassing moments and misunderstandings in a foreign country, it is important to learn the cultural etiquette before going. This ranges from basics like greetings, to table manners, up to what to avoid in gifts.

So we have collected five Taiwanese business manners must-knows that you should follow for a smooth business experience in Taiwan.

1. Meeting & Greeting

Most commonly, men and women will simply nod. Handshakes are usually for men, but some businesswomen have adopted the practice. Still, men should wait for a woman to initiate a handshake.

Introductions are important as well. Rather than introducing oneself, there is a tendency in business meetings to be introduced by a third person, typically the host.

Also make sure you arrive on time. Punctuality is of the utmost importance for Taiwanese business manners – arriving late to a scheduled meeting is viewed as a sign of disrespect.

2. Keeping Face

The concept of ‘mien-tzu’ (face) plays a crucial role in relationships and interactions in Taiwan. Essentially, face is the reputation and dignity of a company, family or individual. It is possible to lose or save’s one’s face, as well as give another person face. In cultures associated with face awareness, individuals act in accordance with norms in order to protect their reputation.

Therefore, you should pay attention to the etiquette and be polite, especially to older and hierarchically higher people.

3. The importance of Guanxi

Much of the business culture in Taiwan revolves around relationships and friendships. Guanxi means connections/personal relationships and is crucial for business success in Taiwan. Taiwanese businesspeople will want to know you personally before doing business with you.

So be ready to answer personal questions which you might not expect and show commitment, sincerity and respect for your Taiwanese counterparts.

4. Entertaining

Entertaining is required to be successful in Taiwan because dinners with business representatives and customers aid in developing networks. Choosing the right restaurant and entertaining well
can greatly enhance your chances of success. It is recommended to engage in small talk and avoid discussing business at dinner, unless the hosts bring it up.
Regarding dining, there are a few things you should note if your hosts take you out for a meal. We have compiled a detailed account of the Taiwanese business dinner and drinking etiquette in a separate article.

5. Gift-giving

Although this might surprise you, gift-giving is actually common practice when it comes to Taiwanese business manners. It is expected that you bring a little something for the boss and perhaps the people you are meeting with.

You definitely don’t need to go overboard: Something traditional from your home country is a good gift, be it food, liqueur or desk attire.

Gifts to avoid are knives or scissors, so anything that may symbolise the cutting of a relationship. Also clocks are considered a no-go gift as giving a clock as a gift relates to the Mandarin phrase of saying goodbye to the deceased. And you definitely do not want to suggest that the recipient’s time is running out.

While all these things might seem overwhelming at first, you do not need to worry: If you do an internship in Taiwan with Meiji, we will help you establish a solid know-how of Taiwan’s business etiquette in our Taiwanese Business manners course!