Face considerations pervasively shape Chinese negotiation. Tactics that cause counterpart to lose face—public pressure, embarrassing revelations, ultimatums before audiences—damage relationship and typically backfire. Approaches that protect face enable agreements that face-threatening approaches prevent. Consider how counterparts will look if they accept your proposal.
If accepting requires them to appear weak, admit error, or accept humiliation, they’re unlikely to agree regardless of substantive merits. Create face-saving paths to agreement—ways they can say yes while maintaining dignity. Protect your own face too: appearing desperate, making concessions under visible pressure, or reversing stated positions weakens your position. Face awareness favors gradual movement, indirect communication, and sometimes intermediaries who can explore options without committing either party.
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