Chinese agreements operate on extended time horizons. Commitments made today create obligations stretching into the indefinite future. Relationships formed now establish frameworks for agreements that may be activated years or decades later.
This is why short-term thinking about agreements is considered not just unwise but morally deficient. How you behave in current agreements affects future opportunities across your networks. The ledger of commitment extends across years; people remember.
In family contexts, obligations can even be inherited — children may bear duties arising from parents’ commitments. When entering agreements, understand that you’re creating obligations with long futures and that your reliability now determines your reputation and opportunities for years to come.
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