Being trustworthy in agreements is understood in Chinese culture as both moral virtue and practical capacity — two aspects of what makes you a viable agreement partner. Morally, keeping agreements reflects your character. Breaking them reveals deficiency regardless of circumstances or calculations. You cannot be a worthy person while being unreliable in commitments.
Practically, trustworthiness requires actually being able to deliver what you promise. Agreeing to what you cannot fulfill is also a trustworthiness failure, even if well-intentioned. This integration means that agreement-keeping goes beyond strategy to questions of who you are. Your reputation for reliability is central to your standing in business and social networks. Cultivating trustworthiness — both the character to keep faith and the capability to deliver — is foundational to participation in Chinese economic and social life.
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